Doumbia winner lifts Al Ahli

TDT | Manama                                                       

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Ali Brahima Doumbia scored in the fifth minute of second-half stoppage time to help lift league leaders Al Ahli to a stunning 2-1 victory over fellow-title contenders Riffa last night in their week nine contest of the 2023/2024 Nasser bin Hamad Bahrain Premier Football League.

Also yesterday, defending champions Al Khaldiya were held to a 2-2 draw by Al Shabab in another fixture. Doumbia supplied his winner with a header. It came after both Ahli and Riffa were on target in the second half.

Geovane Silva Santos was first to strike for Ahli, but then Riffa’s Bahrain national team star Komail Al Aswad levelled the proceedings, setting the stage for the Doumbia decider. Meanwhile, in Khaldiya’s game against Shabab, both teams were on target on either side of the break and it was Shabab to find the net last to secure the share of the points.

Santos had put Ahli ahead in the 60th minute against Riffa with a brilliant turning shot from inside the area. Riffa fought back valiantly and were rewarded with Al Aswad’s leveller, which came on a header from close range off a right corner-kick in the 75th minute.

Ahli goalkeeper Ebrahim Luthfallah made a key save late in regular time to help preserve the deadlock, until Doumbia’s sensational winning goal in fifth added minute off left corner-kick from Jamal Rashid.

With the result, Ahli maintained their position in solo first place on the league table with 17 points following their fifth win in nine matches. For Riffa, they dropped only their second game in seven outings and remained on 13 points in the top half of the standings.

In last night’s other contest, Shabab’s Carlos Alberto Gulmaraes Eilho scored in the 26th minute with a goal from the six-yard box. Faisal Hassan Budhoum provided the assist. Khaldiya then made it 1-1 in 36th with a brilliantly hit effort from Gleison Wilson Da Silva Moreira.

He had a stunning strike from the inner edge of the box, off a pass from the left wing by Mahdi Humaidan that went uncleared. That was enough to send the match into the break tied. Minutes after the restart, a Shabab goal was disallowed due to an offside infraction, and Khaldiya took advantage in the 57th minute to go ahead with a Tarek Bouabta header that crossed the goal line before being cleared.

Shabab had one last say, however, and they equalised in the 58th minute when Carlos Alberto Gulmares Filho scored from close range after a brilliant through pass from Budhoum. Khaldiya were dealt their fifth draw in nine games and they went to 14 points, right behind Ahli atop the table.

Shabab played only their second stalemate and went to eight points in the bottom half of the standings. League action continues over the next two nights. This evening, Al Hala face off with Sitra while Muharraq go up against East Riffa. Tomorrow, Manama and Al Najma face off while the league’s two bottom clubs, Hidd and Busaiteen, lock horns. All four matches are scheduled for 7pm kick-offs.