Al Muharraq Coach Manuel Happy for Win over Esteghlal
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Fernando Manuel said Al Muharraq SC showcased the quality of Bahraini football after his side defeated Iran’s Esteghlal 1-0 on Wednesday in Group A of the AFC Champions League Two 2025-26.
Juninho Piauiense’s strike on the hour mark made the difference as Al Muharraq drew level on points with UAE’s Al Wasl FC at the top of the standings.
"I'm happy that we were able to get the three points. I said before the game that the players' performance on the pitch is important. We deserved to win and we had good quality,” said Manuel.
The Bahraini side controlled much of the encounter but needed to defend in the closing stages as Esteghlal pushed for the equalizer.
"We controlled the game and deserved to get three points. Of course, Esteghlal had some chances towards the end of the game and we were lucky they did not score.
“We never came for a draw, and it was normal if we defended for some minutes because we were playing away. We had to play with strategy to get the three points, which we achieved."
