Riffa eliminated from AFC Cup

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s Riffa Club were last night eliminated from the 2023/2024 AFC Cup.

The Bahrainis fell to Oman’s Al Nahda 2-4 on aggregate after a 1-3 defeat in the second-leg clash of their West Zonal semi-final, played yesterday at Sultan Qaboos Sport Complex in Muscat.

The game was tied at 1-1 after regular time, with the teams level 2-2 on aggregate.

That sent last night’s contest into the additional 30 minutes.

There, the Omanis scored twice, with Hamood Al Sadi and Issam Al Sabhi both on target, sending their team through to the West Zonal final.

Earlier, Ali Hassan Saeed put Riffa in front in the 33rd minute with a right-footed shot from the right of the box.

Jassim Al Shaikh provided a brilliant assist with a fine through-ball to help give the Bahrainis the advantage.

But early in the second half, Nahda equalised with a 59th-minute counterattack led by Walter Bwalya.

He received a fine lobbed pass from three-quarter lengths of the pitch supplied by Junior Ngede.

Bwalya outsprinted Riffa defender Lazar Dordevic, and as he charged into the area, he fired in with a volley.

His single touch flew past Riffa goalkeeper Mahmood Al Ajmi and into the net.

Nahda then took the lead in the fourth minute of extra-time’s first-half, when Al Sabhi was able to lob the ball over a charging Al Ajmi, who came off his line to clear a pass.

Al Sadi was then able to send the ball home into an open goal. Nail Al Sabhi then sealed their win two minutes into the second half of extra-time.

He applied the nail in the coffin with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box.

Riffa and Nahda played to a 1-1 stalemate in the first leg last week at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.

As victors, Nahda now move on to face the victors of the other West Zonal semi-final between Al Kahrabaa Club of Iraq and Al Ahed of Lebanon.

Kahrabaa claimed the opening leg 1-0, also played last week in Muscat.

Their return fixture is then scheduled for tonight at Basra International Stadium in Iraq, scheduled for a 7pm kickoff, Bahrain time.

The West Zonal final is also set to take place over two legs, scheduled for April 16 and 23.

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

Riffa were the lone Bahraini outfit in this year’s tournament.

Riffa made it to the West Zonal final last year, but lost to eventual champions Al Seeb Club of Oman.