FOOTBALL – A’ALI climbed into the top four of the 2025-26 Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League last night with a hard-earned 2-1 victory over a relegation-threatened Bahrain Club at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Hassan Oumar Abdelaziz and Matheus Lima de Almeida were both on target for the victors, who were reduced to 10 men deep into second-half stoppage time.
Brazilian professional Mateus Eduardo Inforsatti fired in the lone consolation for Bahrain Club late in regulation. He scored from the penalty spot.
With the result, A’ali came away with their seventh victory in 17 outings as they improved to 25 points to leapfrog Malkiya to fourth on the 12-team table.
Meanwhile, in another fixture yesterday, Al Najma were held to a late 1-1 stalemate by Al Shabab at the National Stadium in Riffa.
Ali Humood Aldoseri put Najma ahead in the first half, but Shabab salvaged a point when Adnan Tariq equalised in the sixth minute of injury time.
Both of the games were part of night one in matchweek 17 this Nasser Bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League season. They were played with no fans in attendance.
In A’ali’s triumph, Abdelaziz opened their account with a stunning strike in the 25th minute. He received the ball from teammate Jasim Khelaif as he was charging towards goal, and then unleashed a low, left-footed effort from the semi-circle right outside the penalty box to the bottom-left corner of the net, past Bahrain Club custodian Sayed Mohsen Yusuf.
Later, de Almeida doubled their advantage in the 37th minute from nearly the same spot as Abduleziz’s opener. He received the ball from Brazilian Robson da Silva on the right flank, and then made his way towards the centre of the pitch for his attempt. De Almeida’s shot took a slight deflection from Bahrain Club’s Mohamed Jamal before going into the bottom-right corner of goal.
Bahrain Club were later awarded a late penalty when Jassim Mohammed Jawad was elbowed in the face by fellow-substitute Alvaro Jordao da Silva Cardoso of A’ali as they made an aerial challenge for the ball. Inforsatti stepped forward to take the 89th-minute spot kick, which he coolly sent to the bottom-left of the net.
A’ali were reduced to 10 men in the closing minutes after Sekou Amadou Kaba was given a red card for a dangerous challenge on Bahrain Club skipper Mohamed Shaheen.
Following their win, A’ali are now only behind the top three of Al Khaldiya, defending champions Muharraq, and Riffa – who all have a game in hand, along with Malkiya.
Bahrain Club suffered their league-worst 14th loss and stayed in last place with just seven points.
In last night’s other contest, Najma were first on the board when Aldoseri guided the ball home from the face of goal in the 26th minute. Teammate Saleh Alzabidi did well to evade his defender on the right of the area and sent in a low cross that wasn’t fully dealt with by the Shabab defence. Aldoseri was first to the loose ball and he slotted home from inside the six-yard box.
Shabab then drew level with Tariq’s equaliser in stoppage time after receiving a long pass from their own half. Najma’s Bruno de Andrade Ritter headed the ball towards Tariq in a failed clearance, and Tariq made no mistake with his opportunity.
Both teams stayed in the bottom half of the standings after the draw, with Najma going to 19 points and Shabab to 11. Shabab remained in danger of direct relegation with Bahrain Club.
Action in the league’s 17th round continues today and tomorrow with two fixtures each day.
This evening, Muharraq go up against Sitra at Khalifa Sports City Stadium at 5.15pm, to be followed at 7.30pm by Budaiya battling Hidd at the National Stadium. Tomorrow, table-toppers Khaldiya and fellow-title challengers Riffa lock horns in a titanic clash at the National Stadium, scheduled for a 5.15pm kick-off. At Khalifa Sports City Stadium, Al Ahli take on Malkiya at 7.30pm.
Following this matchweek, the next two weeks of games are scheduled to take place from April 16 to 18 and from April 27 to 29, respectively.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh