Four comebacks in five games: RA2 FC overturn a 0-3 and Red Zone stun Ultra Chmicha on Matchday 8 of Kings League MENA

No lead was safe on Matchday 8 of Kings League MENA. On Friday, 16 October, at the Kings League Arena in Riyadh, four of the five games were won by the team that had been behind: ABO FC turned around a 7-4, RA2 FC a 0-3, DR7 a 6-8 and Red Zone a 5-3 against Ultra Chmicha.

FWZ were the only winners who never had to come back, and they are one win away from a direct Semi-Final spot: at 7-1, they sit top of the table with one matchday left, ahead of DR7 (6-2) and Ultra Chmicha (5-3). Matchday 9 on 23 October closes the regular season.

Matchday 8 results

• Bakhira F.C. 7 – 8 ABO FC
• RA2 FC 5 – 4 3BS
• Turbo 8 – 10 FWZ
• DR7 9 – 8 Rising Peaks
• Ultra Chmicha 5 – 6 Red Zone

ABO FC come back from 7-4 down against Bakhira F.C.

Bakhira F.C. had the game wrapped up with a quarter of an hour to go. Luís Henrique ‘Boolt’ scored 2 goals, one of them doubled as Star Player, even goalkeeper Mame Cheikh got on the scoresheet and co-president Achraf Sabiri converted his President Penalty in the 35th minute to make it 7-4.

From there, it was all ABO FC. Johnatan Baton scored a Shootout, Galde Hugue and Adam Dembele levelled at 7-7 and Hugue sealed the 7-8 in the 50th minute with his second goal of the night, the Victory Goal. Izan Grande had already scored 2 early on. ABO FC move to 3-5 and Bakhira F.C. drop to the bottom at 2-6; Boolt was named MVP despite the defeat.

RA2 FC overturn a 0-3 in the battle of the presidents

3BS were in control until the 36th minute: Amine Kheche, Abde Bakkali and Moussa Sao had made it 0-3 before the 23rd minute. David Reyes pulled one back and the President Penalty settled the duel between presidents in the 33rd: Absi missed his for 3BS and RAED scored for RA2 FC to make it 2-3.

In the 36th, Mark Sorroche equalised from the spot and Moussa Sao replied with a penalty of his own (2 goals for him). Diego Jiménez made it 4-4 and David Reyes completed his brace in the 39th for the 5-4, Victory Goal included. RAED’s side move to 4-4 and Abde Bakkali was the match MVP.

FWZ survive Islam Moursy’s four goals

Islam Moursy tried everything for Turbo: 4 goals, one of them as Star Player, which counted double. It wasn’t enough against an FWZ side that found the net from everywhere: Sohaib Rektout scored 2 (one doubled with the Goal x2 card), Leonel Alderete added another double goal and Cristian Hernández got 2, the last one for the final 8-10 in the 43rd minute.

Turbo got as close as 5-6 and kept pushing late on: with Tarboun’s President Penalty, Hussien Mostafa’s goal and Moursy’s fourth, they were 8-9 down in the 43rd. Ahmed Awad, who scored once, was the MVP. FWZ move to 7-1 and Turbo stay on 3-5.

DR7 overturn a 6-8 in the closing minutes against Rising Peaks

Rising Peaks led 6-8 with seven minutes to go. Ali Alnamer, with a first-minute penalty and a double goal as Star Player in the 36th, had answered Sultan Azaz’s doubled Star Player penalty, which had made it 6-6.

Igo Canindé stepped up when it mattered: a goal in the 41st and a converted Shootout in the 43rd for 8-8, his third of the night. Moments later, Davi ‘Major’ Natã made it 9-8 with his second goal, the Victory Goal. Canindé was the MVP and, after their comeback against Rising Peaks, DR7 tighten their grip on second place at 6-2.

Red Zone stun Ultra Chmicha with three goals in four minutes

Ultra Chmicha led 5-3 in the 36th minute thanks to Dani Liñares’ two Shootouts and goals from Marc Briones, Masi Dabo and Alex ‘Capi’ Domingo. Red Zone turned it around in the closing stages: Gilles Vidal (39′), Julen Álvarez (40′) and Mohamed Abdelfattah (42′) made it 5-6 between the 39th and the 42nd minute.

Mohamed Amin, who scored the 2-2, was the MVP. Maherco’s team draw level with RA2 FC at 4-4, while Ultra Chmicha have now lost two in a row, to DR7 on Matchday 7 and to Red Zone, and sit on 5-3.

One matchday to decide the Semi-Final and the Quarter-Finals

FWZ (7-1) clinch the direct Semi-Final spot if they beat Ultra Chmicha on 23 October. DR7 (6-2) and Ultra Chmicha (5-3) are already guaranteed at least a Quarter-Final, and Red Zone and RA2 FC (4-4) are in if they win. Rising Peaks, Turbo, ABO FC and 3BS (3-5) and Bakhira F.C. (2-6) are still alive, but only the top seven reach the Quarter-Finals.

Matchday 9 kicks off at 19:00 (Saudi time) with RA2 FC against ABO FC and ends at 23:00 with Ultra Chmicha against FWZ. The Quarter-Finals are on 26 October and the Final Four on the 30th.