Muharraq crowned AFC Cup champions!!!

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Muharraq captured the hearts of Bahraini football fans last night after being crowned champions of the AFC Cup 2021 following a resounding 3-0 victory over FC Nasaf Qarshi of Uzbekistan.

The highly anticipated tournament final was played at a jam-packed Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium in Arad.

In attendance were Supreme Council for Youth and Sports (SCYS) first deputy chairman, General Sports Authority (GSA) chief and Bahrain Olympic Committee (BOC) president His Highness Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, BOC vice-president His Highness Shaikh Isa bin Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa and Bahrain Football Association president Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, along with other high-ranking officials.

Muharraq claimed their second AFC Cup title with the result, adding to their first triumph in 2008. Muharraq remain the only Bahraini club to have ever won the AFC Cup competition. On target for the Bahrainis in the match were Mahmoud Al Mardi, substitute Husain Jameel and Flavio Cheveresan.

Al Mardi opened the scoring in just the second minute of the contest, scoring with a glorious right-footed effort from long range which he sent straight into the top-right corner of goal. He was assisted by Abdulwahab Al Malood, who was presented an additional trophy last night after winning the AFC Cup 2021’s Most Valuable Player award.

Al Mardi’s goal was enough to send Muharraq into the locker rooms with a slim one-goal lead. Jameel and Cheveresan then sealed the result with goals just six minutes apart in the second half.

Jameel made it 2-0 in the 74th minute just three minutes after coming on to replace Ahmed Saleh Sanad. He hit a shot from close range following a brilliant pass from nearly the half-field line by Noor Al Rawabdeh.

Jameel released his effort to the left of the opposing goalkeeper and into the bottom-left corner of the net. Cheveresan then applied the nail in the coffin, scoring from an acute angle after another fine assist, this time from Jameel.

After the game, both teams were awarded their respective medals and trophies by HH Shaikh Khalid, Shaikh Salman and Shaikh Ali in a glittering on-pitch ceremony. Muharraq officials, including head coach Isa Sadoon Al Mamdani, also received their awards.