Riffa claim AFC Cup win over Kuwait’s Arabi

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s Riffa Club were 2-1 winners over Al Arabi SC of Kuwait in their Group C match of the 2023 AFC Cup, held at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Riffa.

Vinicius Vargas and Hashem Sayed Issa were both on target for the victors.

Vargas opened the Bahrainis’ scoring in the 25th minute with a lobbed effort over an onrushing Arabi goalkeeper Sulaiman Abdulghafoor.

That was enough to give them the single-goal lead at the break.

Just seven minutes after the re-start, Issa doubled Riffa’s advantage with a shot from close range off an assist from Hazza Ali.

Riffa were well on their way to the full three points but not without giving up a lone consolation to the Kuwaitis.

Mamadou Thiam scored three minutes from full time for Arabi.

With the result, Riffa claimed their third win in four matches and improved to 10 points on the Group C table with two games remaining.

Riffa’s next AFC Cup clash will be against Nejmeh SC of Lebanon on 27 November.

They complete their group campaign on 12 December away at Al Zawra’a of Iraq.

The AFC Cup is the annual continental club competition of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) for continent’s top club teams not competing in the AFC Champions League.

Riffa are the lone Bahraini outfit in this year’s competition.