FOOTBALL – FAISAL Habib Hejair scored in the third minute of second-half stoppage time to send holders Al Ahli into the quarter-finals of the 2024-25 His Majesty the King’s Cup – Bahrain’s richest annual football tournament.
Hejair received a pass from near the midfield line and brilliantly controlled the ball with his first touch as he charged into the box. He then fired in from close range with his second, securing Ahli’s come-from-behind 2-1 victory against a battling Al Ittifaq.
Earlier in the match, which was played at Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad, Herve Junior Nguedong put Ittifaq ahead in the 23rd minute with a low effort following some porous Ahli defending. The victors only equalised a minute after the hour-mark when Nawaf Abdulla scored on a rebound after a Jamal Rashid effort from the left of the area was saved by Ittifaq goalkeeper Mohammed Dawood Al Sayegh.
Then, after Hejair’s late winner, there was some more drama, as a goal in the 103rd minute by Ittifaq substitute Ahmed Al Asfoor was disallowed due to an offside infraction, following a VAR check.
With their victory, Ahli set up an exciting clash with fellow-Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier League side Sitra, who also needed a stoppage-time winner to advance last night.
At the Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town, Othman Al Haj found the net from the edge of the six-yard box in the seventh minute of second-half injury time to lift Sitra to a thrilling 1-0 win against Bouri.
It was a stunning ending to the game, during which Bouri goalkeeper Bruno Ferreira Santos made a fine save on a 60th-minute penalty attempted by Sitra’s Imran Ilyas Bakur Adam.
Meanwhile, also making it through to the last eight yesterday were Riffa, who powered past Bahrain Club 2-0 at the National Stadium in Riffa.
Goals from either side of the break by Mohammad Yahya Alhallak and Samy Frioui were enough to push their team through into the next phase, where they will face off with neighbours East Riffa in a mouth-watering derby.
Alhallak put Riffa in front with a 14th minute strike from the face of goal, and then Frioui iced their victory in the 81st minute with a spot kick after a Bahrain Club handball in the area.
Three spots remain in the quarter-finals of this season’s His Majesty the King’s Cup. They will be decided tonight, when two-time reigning league champions Al Khaldiya take on Etehad Al Reef, current league leaders Muharraq play Budaiya Club, and Al Najma face Al Hala. All three matches are scheduled for 7pm kick-offs.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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