FOOTBALL – MUHARRAQ and Sitra punched their tickets to the semi-finals last night of the 2024-25 His Majesty the King’s Cup – the kingdom’s richest football tournament.
Muharraq advanced after a 2-1 victory over Al Shabab at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town, while Sitra made it through after taking down holders Al Ahli 2-1 at the National Stadium in Riffa.
Muharraq next take on the winner of the other quarter-final between two-time defending Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier League champions Al Khaldiya and Al Hala, while Sitra will face off with the victor of the Riffa-East Riffa derby. Both of these fixtures are scheduled for tonight, with Khaldiya and Hala clashing at the National Stadium and Riffa playing East Riffa at Khalifa Sports City Stadium. The two fixtures are scheduled for simultaneous 7.15pm kick-offs.
The His Majesty the King’s Cup is an annual single-elimination tournament, featuring sides from both the Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier League and the Bahrain Second Division.
In Muharraq’s victory last night, Argentinian Facundo Agustin Tobares and Portuguese Elliot Jorge Simoes Inacio were on target for their team.
It took over an hour for either side to break the goalless score line, and it was Tobares who struck first. He found the net in the 62nd minute off a short cross from Bahrain international defender Amine Benaddi.
Tobares received the assist in the box, controlled the ball with his first touch, turned, and then fired home with his second. His low effort slotted into the bottom-right corner of goal, past Shabab goalkeeper Hamad Al Dosari.
Muharraq then doubled their lead nine minutes later with Inacio’s conversion. He made the most of a low pass from Edimar Ribeiro Da Costa Junior from the left of the penalty area and guided the ball in with a sliding effort, giving his side the two-goal advantage.
Shabab’s Brazilian professional Alexandro Soares Firmino then scored in the 84th minute, but his goal was disallowed by the referee after a VAR review determined that a foul led to the opportunity. That would have been crucial for Shabab as they finally opened their account in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time when Brazilian substitute Raykar Dos Santos Campos headed in from close range off a cross supplied by Faisal Abudahoom.
Meanwhile, in Sitra’s victory, Yaya Al Hadj Ousman put them in front in the 14th minute when he scored on a quick counter-attack.
Sitra were then even further ahead just three minutes later and it was Ousman who was once again on target. After a deflected ball went in his direction, he unleashed an attempt from the edge of the box that flew into goal past Ahli goalkeeper Sayed Shubar Alawi.
But Ousman’s joy later turned into misery after being sent off right before the break for what the referee adjudged to be a harsh challenge on Ahli’s Colombian Juan Felipe Villa Ruiz. It was Ousman’s second bookable offence, and he was given his marching orders.
Ahli got a goal back deep into injury time after being awarded a penalty following a foul by Vincent Emmanuel on Abdulla Al Hashash.
Al Hashash stepped forward to take the spot kick, which he sent past Abbas Ahmed to the bottom-left of the net.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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