East Riffa vs Al-Shabbab Prediction: Expect goals from the two sides

The upcoming Bahrain Premier League match between East Riffa and Al-Shabbab at Khalifa Sports City Stadium is anticipated to be a closely contested encounter. In their previous meeting, Al-Shabbab secured a home win with a convincing 4-1 scoreline. While history suggests a strong performance by Al-Shabbab in that match, predicting a similar outcome in the upcoming game is uncertain, as football matches can be influenced by various factors. Both teams will likely be determined to showcase their abilities and secure valuable points in this fixture.

East Riffa is coming off a road defeat against Al-Shabbab in the Bahrain Cup. Unfortunately, that loss extends East Riffa's streak to three defeats in their previous four matches. Their lone victory in that run was against Al Riffa in a match that ended 0-1, while they also suffered defeats at the hands of Al-Najma and Al-Hidd in the same span. As they approach this league match, East Riffa currently holds the 3rd spot in the league standings with 12 points from 6 matches.

Following a successful performance against East Riffa in their cup action before the break, Al-Shabbab will hope for a similar result in their upcoming match. In that game, a commanding three-goal lead in the first half gave the hosts an advantage before a late-minute goal in the second half. As they head into this league match, Al-Shabbab has accumulated six points from their first five matches.

In their last five meetings, Al-Shabbab secured three victories, while East Riffa claimed two. Throughout these matches, Al-Shabbab scored seven goals, while East Riffa found the back of the net eight times.

The two sides are anticipated to renew their rivalry, which was intense during their previous encounter dominated by Al-Shabbab in mid-November. However, I anticipate an improved performance from East Riffa this time. Considering the odds, I expect a match where both sides will score, ultimately resulting in a draw.