Budaiya edge past Malkiya, Hidd draw with Sitra

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Budaiya moved one step closer to keeping their place in the Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League next season following a hard-earned 3-2 victory over second division side Al Malkiya last night at the National Stadium in Riffa.

Budaiya and Malkiya are two of four sides vying for a berth in the Kingdom’s top-tier football league, along with Hidd and Sitra, who played to a 1-1 stalate in yesterday’s other game played at the Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.

They are all competing in this first-of-its-kind mini-tournament organised by the Bahrain Football Association. The three top-ranked teams after a single round will claim a berth in the 2022/2023 premier league.

Budaiya and Hidd are hoping to keep their places, while Malkiya and Sitra are aiming for promotion. In Budaiya’s victory, Mohammed Khaled Hanash fired in the winning goal in the 72nd minute of play.

He scored from inside the area amidst some tight defending from Malkiya. Earlier in the contest, teammate Abdulla Al Hashash had given Budaiya the lead twice. His first goal came in the ninth minute from the penalty spot after teammate Omar Abdulbasit was brought down in the area by Ali Jasim.

Al Hashash made no mistake with his effort, which he sent into the bottom-left corner. Malkiya then equalised in the 34th minute with a fine free-kick from outside the box by Sayed Hashem Adnan. That sent the match into the break tied at 1-1.

But just two minutes after the re-start, Budaiya went ahead once again, as Al Hashash headed in from close range off a cross by Sultan Mansoor. Later, in the 64th minute, Malkiya were level once again with Adnan scoring from the penalty spot. Hasan Ali Helal was taken down in the area.

That set the stage for Hanash’s heroics for Budaiya, which he supplied just eight minutes on. Meanwhile, in the draw between Sitra and Hidd, the second division side were the first to find the net in the contest.

Brazilian Luiz Carlos Junior put Sitra in front in the sixth minute following an assist from Baffo Ernest. Junior then fires into the net from close range with a left-footed strike. Hidd were able to equalise before the break and Talal Juma supplied their goal in the 31st minute. It came following a cross by Mohammed Ahmed Fares, and after an initial header was blocked by the Sitra defence, Juma connected on the ensuing rebound.

All four teams will once again be in action on the second match day of the mini-tournament, scheduled for Tuesday next week. Budaiya will be looking to continue their winning ways when they face Sitra, while Hidd take on Malkiya.