Muharraq beat Hala with late winner

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Muharraq maintained their perfect record early in the 2022/2023 Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League with a 1-0 victory over Al Hala last night in their week two fixture of the new season.

Amine Binedi scored the winning goal in the 79th minute to give his team the full three points. Binedi’s game-clincher came off a right corner kick and the Bahraini international did well to connect with his header, which he sent to the left of goal.

With the result, Muharraq improved to six points after two games while registering a clean sheet for the second successive time. Hala suffered their first defeat of the league after drawing their opening game. Meanwhile, also during the second week of play, Al Khaldiya and Al Shabab were both triumphant.

Khaldiya came away with a deserving 2-1 win over Sitra, with Samy Frioui firing in a brace. Frioui posted Khaldiya’s opening goal in the 14th minute with a low effort from inside the penalty area off a cross from the left wing.

He then doubled their advantage in the 24th minute with a fine volley from an acute angle off a lob pass. Sitra’s lone consolation came in the 60th minute through Mishaal Al Shammari, who scored from close range.

Khaldiya earned their first win after opening their league campaign with a loss, while Sitra suffered their maiden defeat after previously drawing their opening fixture. Shabab were also triumphant, defeating Bahrain Club 3-2.

Shabab took the lead in just the fourth minute when Hussain Al Qassab struck from the edge of the penalty area. Their celebrations were short lived, however, as Bahrain Club answered in the seventh minute through Luis Fernando de Souza, who scored with a header.

Shabab’s Herve Steve Elame was then on target in the 13th minute, which was enough to give his team the advantage at the break. In the second half, Bahrain Club equalised in the 55th minute with a penalty scored by Jair Vinicius Alves de Brito.

The see-saw affair was finally decided in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, when Salem Hussain headed home from close range. Shabab made up for the loss in their first game to come away with the full three points, while Bahrain Club were handed their first loss. In another week two clash, East Riffa and Budaiya Club had a goalless draw. Both teams improved to two points from two games apiece.