MUSCAT: Al Riffa Bahrain club tied with their Omani guest, Al Nahdha 1-1 on Monday at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Manama, in the first leg of the West Zone semi-final in the 2023-2024 AFC Cup.
The first half saw both teams playing cautiously, with Al Nahdha relying on counterattacks, while Al Riffa focused on offensive pressure, though they faced quick turnovers from Al Nahdha players. Both teams attempted attacks during the first half but failed to create significant chances, leading to a goalless draw at halftime.
The second half began with high pressure from Al Riffa Club, and Kamil al Aswad almost scored the opening goal, but his header hit the crossbar. Al Nahdha responded with a header by Walter Boulya after a splendid pass from Salah al Yahyai.
This was followed by exchanges of possession between the two teams, with the hosts Al Riffa exerting attacking pressure. In the 62 minute, Ali Harim scored the lead goal for Al Riffa with a remarkable header. After taking the lead, Al Riffa continued their offensive style and came close to scoring a second goal with a powerful shot by Ahmed al Harazi, which was barely saved by Al Nahdha goalkeeper Ibrahim al Mukhaini. Al Nahdha then intensified their attacking style in an attempt to equalise, with their professional striker, Walter Boulya, missing a clear opportunity after being one-on-one with the goalkeeper. However, under the strong pressure exerted by the Omani Al Nahdha players, Gui Inters managed to score the equalising goal in the 77th minute with a powerful header that hit the crossbar before returning to the same player, who neatly headed it into the net past Bahraini goalkeeper. Despite both teams' efforts to score a winning goal, the match ended in a 1-1 draw.
The second leg match between the two teams is scheduled for the upcoming Monday, February 19th, at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher. This match will determine the winner and the team advancing to the West Zone final of the AFC Cup, facing the winner of the match between Iraqi club Al Kahraba and Lebanese club Al Ahed.
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