Hidd defeated Al Ettihad 2-1 while East Riffa and Al Malkiya played to a 2-2 stalemate last night as the play-offs kicked off for two spots in the 2024-25 Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier League.
Hidd and East Riffa are looking to keep their places in the kingdom’s top flight and avoid joining Al Hala and Busaiteen in being relegated to the second division. Ettihad and Malkiya, on the other hand, are aiming to rise to the premiership and follow in the footsteps of division two champions Bahrain Club and runners-up Al A’ali in earning promotion.
The play-offs are being played over three rounds, wrapping up next week.
Ahmed Marhoon and Ali Muneer were both on target for Hidd in their victory yesterday. Hidd’s Jacques Medina Iemopele scored an own goal that gave Ettihad their lone consolation.
Hidd opened their account in the 22nd minute with a header by Marhoon off a corner kick. Marhoon rose above the other players and sent the ball to the bottom-right corner of the net.
Ettihad were then able to go back level in the 37th minute when Iemopele sent the ball into his own net. Iemopele was trying to clear the ball away from danger following a corner kick, but instead of directing it out of bounds, he guided it into the Hidd goal. His error sent the game deadlocked heading into the break.
It took Hidd a half-hour after the restart to find their winner, and it was Muneer who provided the heroics. He sent his 75th minute goal, which was also a header, into the net near the left post, away from the reach of Ettihad goalkeeper Mahboob Yahya Al Doseri.
Meanwhile, East Riffa took a two-goal cushion early in the first half against Malkiya, but their opponents were able to fight back and find a late equaliser.
Jassim Khelaif was first to find the net in the 11th minute from a penalty kick, and then Thiago Augusto doubled their advantage 10 minutes later to put East Riffa firmly in control.
But in the 32nd minute, Hassan Ali scored for Malkiya to cut the deficit, and then when it appeared as though East Riffa would hold on for the victory, a late own goal by East Riffa’s Ahmed Mirza brought the match back on level terms.
East Riffa and Malkiya thus took a share of the points.
The play-offs continue on Monday when East Riffa face off against Hidd and Ettihad take on Malkiya. That will be followed on May 31 by East Riffa playing Ettihad and Malkiya going up against Hidd.
Only the top two teams on the four-team table at the end of these play-offs will earn a place in next season’s Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier League.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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