PA Sport

MANAMA: Bahrain league champions Al Muharraq sealed their place in the Final of the 2006 AFC Cup following a dramatic 4-2 victory against Al Nejmeh in the second leg of their semifinals clash on Tuesday.

In a game that saw three penalties awarded and four red cards, Al Muharraq added to their 2-1 first leg victory to qualify for the final with a 6-3 aggregate win and set up a final clash against the reigning champions Al Faisaly, who held Al Wihdat 1-1 to advance with a 2-1 aggregate result.

Brazilian striker Leandson Dias scored twice from the penalty spot while additional goals from Abdullah Omar and Richard Massolin steered Muharraq to victory. Al Nejmeh, who finished the game with only seven players, scored twice through Mohammed Ghaddar in the space of four first half minutes.

Muharraq started strongly in the high humidity of the Bahraini capital, and the home side opened the scoring after 19 minutes from the spot.

Saudi referee Khalil Al Ghamdi awarded the Bahraini champions a penalty after he judged that Khaled Hamieh had handed the ball, giving Brazilian striker Leandson Dias the opportunity to open the scoring, which he duly took.

Al Nejmeh tried to pull themselves back into the game and they threatened Ali Hassan's goal in the 27th minute when Ali Wasef - who scored his side's only goal in the quarter-finals against Malaysia's Selangor - launched a powerful shot which went over the bar.

However, it was Muharraq who doubled their advantage two minutes later when Jaycee John split Al Nejmeh's defensive line with a neat pass through to Abdullah Omar, who put the ball between Ahmed Al Saqr's legs to make it 2-0.

But while Muharraq had the better of the opening exchanges, Al Nejmeh showed the grit that took them into last year's final by clawing themselves level before the end of the half.

Four minutes before the break, the Beirut club pulled a goal back after a poor clearance from Muharraq goalkeeper Hassan and Ghaddar took advantage of the slip to score into the empty goal despite Massolin's attempt to clear.

Al Nejmeh then equalised on the stroke of half time as Ghaddar broke clear and marched towards the goal before scoring with a fine left foot drive.

First choice striker Ali Nasseredine came off the bench at the start of the second half for Al Nejmeh as their Algerian coach Mahmoud Qandouz tried to retain the upper hand, but the momentum started to swing back towards Muharraq.

In the 75th minute, referee Al Ghamdi pointed to the spot again after Wasef brought down Muharraq's Abdullah Omar and Leandson Dias scored his second goal of the evening.

Things deteriorated for Al Nejmeh as they were reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute after Wasef was sent off for throwing an elbow and just one minute later substitute Zakaria Charara was give his marching orders for a serious foul.

There was more bad news for Qandouz's side as Al Ghamdi awarded yet another penalty to Muharraq in the final minute and sent off goalkeeper Ahmed Al Saqer and Ahmed Al Namaani, who fouled substitute striker Abdullah Al Dakheel inside the area.

The game stopped for more than 10 minutes after Al Nejmeh's players refused to continue the match, but when play resumed Massolin dispatched Muharraq's third penalty to seal their spot in the final.

Al Nejmeh coach Mahmoud Qandouz questioned the performance of Saudi Arabian referee Khalil Al Ghamdi after his side's 4-2 loss to Muharraq on Tuesday evening saw them exit the competition.

“The referee didn't have a very good game and he played a big role in our defeat as he awarded Muharraq three suspicious penalty kicks, especially the first one,” said Qandouz.

“Our team didn't prepare well. Muharraq did while we prepared in bad conditions. The game looked settled from the first second of the game and the Saudi referee played a big role in our defeat.”

“We played as one unit and we took advantage of Muharraq defensive mistakes. However, the experience and calmness of the Muharraq players gave them the win.”

Muharraq coach Carlos Elinho was delighted with the win. “We could have settled the match early after we took a 2-0 lead but there were bad mistakes from the defenders and the goalkeeper. Muharraq usually plays better away while we have a problem in winning at home.”

“Muharraq will have a different look in the final and I'm really sorry for what happened at the end of the match.”