Riffa Secures Comfortable Victory Over Budaiya in Bahrain Premier League

Manama – Riffa defeated Budaiya 3-0 in a Nasser Bin Hamad Premier League match held at Bahrain National Stadium on February 19, 2026, mirroring the scoreline from their previous encounter. This win keeps Riffa firmly in the title contention.

Match Highlights

Mohamed Mashaan’s Riffa side, buoyed by their recent Khalid bin Hamad Cup final triumph, initially struggled to convert their chances. Rodrigo Yuri missed two opportunities in the 11th and 26th minutes.

Budaiya, under the leadership of Sayed Hassan Isa, appealed for a penalty in the 23rd minute due to a suspected handball, but the decision was overturned by VAR after review.

The breakthrough came in the 42nd minute when Budaiya’s defender was penalized for a handball inside the penalty area, confirmed by VAR. Rodrigo Yuri successfully converted the penalty, giving Riffa a deserved lead. The decision sparked protests from the Budaiya bench, leading to a red card for a team official.

Riffa goalkeeper Džiugas Bartkus made a crucial save in first-half stoppage time to maintain his team’s advantage.

Second-Half Dominance

The match was decided in the closing stages. Substitute Ebrahim Al Khattal doubled Riffa’s lead in stoppage time, capitalizing on a clever dummy from Sayed Hashim Isa.

Budaiya’s frustrations escalated as Ali Khalil received a red card for a last-man challenge and subsequent dissent. Riffa immediately capitalized, with Al Khattal assisting Ali Hassan Saeed for a tap-in, completing the scoring.

League Standings

With this victory, Riffa climbed to 33 points, leveling with Al Khaldiya and Muharraq, while also holding a game in hand. Budaiya remains in sixth place with 18 points.

Other Match Results

In another match on February 19th, Al Shabab defeated A’ali 1-0, with Daniel Omokhoa scoring a 73rd-minute penalty for their second win of the season.

Upcoming Fixtures

Matchday 15 continues with Al Ahli facing Al Najma and Muharraq playing Bahrain Club on February 20th, both matches kicking off at 9 pm.

The 2025-26 Bahraini Premier League season, the 69th top-level football season in Bahrain, began on September 11, 2025, and is scheduled to conclude in May 2026. Al-Muharraq are the defending champions.