Bensouda Double Sees Riffa Run Riot as Budaiya Hold Al Najma

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Week 7 of the Nasser Bin Hamad Premier League produced contrasting results. Riffa were rampant with a 4-1 win over Aali, while Budaiya and Al Najma played out a tense 1-1 draw, settled only by a late own goal. Both matches had moments of quality and error, highlighting the unpredictability of the league.

At Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium, Riffa were clinical from the start. Tunisian forward Yousif Bensouda opened the scoring in the 12th minute after a perfectly weighted through ball from Rodrigo Yuri split Aali’s defence. Bensouda’s low, measured finish left keeper Khalil Ebrahim rooted to the spot. On the stroke of half-time, Samuel Toscas played a clever pass into the box for Ali Hassan Saeed, who made no mistake with a first-time finish to put Riffa 2-0 up.

The second half saw Bensouda strike again in almost identical fashion, once more on the receiving end of Yuri’s precise delivery. Aali managed a consolation in the 61st minute through an unfortunate own goal from Vinicius Vargas, but there was no stopping Riffa. In stoppage time, Brazilian Wellington Machado curled a free-kick into the near post to make it 4-1, leaving Riffa comfortable in third place with 12 points. Aali remain in 10th with just five.

Meanwhile, at the Bahrain National Stadium, Budaiya and Al Najma produced a tense, end-to-end match. Al Najma took the lead in the 61st minute when Mohammed Abdulqayoom floated a cross into the box and Ali Aldoseri was left unmarked to finish first-time. Budaiya responded in the 77th minute with a scramble in the area: captain Nawaf Abdulla picked out Hamad Fuad on the wing, whose dangerous delivery caused chaos and saw Dusan Jokovic inadvertently turn the ball into his own net. The match finished 1-1, leaving Budaiya sixth with nine points and Al Najma ninth with five.

With Riffa’s dominant performance and Budaiya’s late heroics underlining the unpredictability of the NPL, attention now turns to today’s fixtures. Muharraq face Hidd at Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium, while Al Khaldiya go up against Sitra at the Bahrain National Stadium. A win for Khaldiya could see them move to the top of the table for the first time this season, though Muharraq still hold two games in hand.