Riffa come from two goals down to hold East Riffa

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Riffa kept their title-defence on track last night in the 2021/2022 Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier League after coming from two goals down to draw 2-2 with East Riffa in their Week 16 match played at the National Stadium in Riffa.

Luiz Fernando Correa Sales and Abdulla Mubarak Almas were both on target for East Riffa in the first half, but then goals from Mohammed Al Rumaihi and Mohammed Jassim Marhoon after the break helped Riffa salvage the draw. With the result, Riffa took a share of the points and extended their lead atop the league table to six ahead of their closest challengers Manama.

They have although played a game more than their chief rivals, who will be in action tonight in their Week 16 fixture. East Riffa, on the other hand, maintained their place in the league’s top five. East Riffa opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 22nd minute of yesterday’s game. They were awarded the chance after Obus Prince Aggreh was taken down in the area by Ali Jawher Saad, who was given a yellow card for his foul.

Sales stepped up to take the kick, which he sent into the bottom-right corner of goal with a powerful left-footed effort. Right before half-time, Hashem Sayed Isa had a chance to level the score for Riffa with a brilliant free-kick that was saved by opposing goalkeeper Hamad Al Dosary, and then an Al Rumaihi header bounced off the goal line. But then East Riffa took a 2-0 lead when Almas headed in from close range.

He found the target off a corner-kick in the fifth minute of first-half stoppage time. Riffa were determined to fight back after the interval and their efforts came to fruition with their first goal in the 56th minute. Al Rumaihi was on the receiving end of a low cross from Isa, and he tapped the ball in just inches from goal.

Marhoon then equalised with a brilliant curling free-kick from around 20 metres out in the 76th minute. His rocket was too much for Al Dosary to stop, and it went into the top-right corner of the net. With the result, both teams claimed their fifth draws in 16 matches, with Riffa still remaining unbeaten in the league with just two matches remaining.

Action continues tonight with Manama facing off with AFC Cup champions Muharraq and Al Khaldiya taking on Al Ahli. Both games are scheduled to kick off at 9.30pm at separate venues.