2015–16 Bahrain First Division League

The 2015–16 Bahraini First Division League (also known as VIVA Bahrain League for sponsorship reasons), was the 59th top-level football season in Bahrain. Fourteen teams participated with Muharraq as the defending champions after securing the championship last season for the thirty-third time.[1]

Bahrain First Division League
Season2015–16
ChampionsAl-Hidd (1st title)
RelegatedBusaiteen
Sitra Club
AFC Champions LeagueAl-Hidd
AFC CupAl-Muharraq
GCC Champions LeagueMalkiya Club
Goals scored235
Average goals/game2.6
Top goalscorerIsmail Abdullatif
Mohammad Saad Al-Rumaihi (17 goals)
Biggest home winAl-Hidd 5-0 Busaiteen
Biggest away winManama 0-5 Al-Hidd
Highest scoringAl-Hidd (39 goals)
Longest winning runMalkiya (4 wins)
Longest unbeaten runAl-Hidd (18 games)
Longest losing runManama (6 losses)

The league began on 26 October 2015.[2]

Teams

Bahrain SC and Al-Shabab were relegated at the end of the previous campaign and replaced by Al-Ahli and Sitra. Sitra Club bounced back after one season away from the top flight and Al-Ahli were back after spending 4 years in the second tier.

Stadia and locations
Locations of teams in the 2015–16 Bahraini League
Club Location Manager
Al-Ahli Club (Manama) Manama Bahrain Adnan Ibrahim
Al Hidd Al Hidd Bahrain Salman Shareeda
Al Hala Muharraq Bahrain Mohammad Zwayed
Al-Muharraq Muharraq Bahrain Essa Al-Saadoun
Busaiteen Club Busaiteen Bahrain Khalifa Al-Ziani
East Riffa Club Manama Bahrain Mohammad Shamlan
Malkiya Malkiya Bahrain Ahmad Saleh Al-Dakhil
Manama Club Manama Bahrain Khaled Taj
Riffa S.C. Riffa Bahrain Ahmad Essa
Sitra Club Sitra Bahrain Khaled Al-Harban

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming manager Date of appointment
Muharraq Serbia Dragan Cvetkovic Sacked[3] 8 October 2015 Pre-Season Bahrain Khaled Taj 10 October 2015
Manama Spain Miguel Olmo Forte Sacked[4] 28 October 2015 9th Bahrain Ismaeel Karami 28 October 2015
Riffa Bahrain Mohammad Al-Shamlan Sacked[5] 29 November 2015 8th Tunisia Samir bin Shammam 29 November 2015
Manama Bahrain Ismaeel Karami Replaced by Chokri Bejaoui[6] 10 December 2015 10th Tunisia Chokri Bejaoui 10 December 2015
East Riffa Bahrain Essa Al-Saadoun Resigned[7] 27 January 2016 4th Bahrain Mohammad Shamlan 28 January 2016
Muharraq Bahrain Khaled Taj Sacked [8] 1 February 2016 2nd Bahrain Essa Al-Saadoun 2 February 2016
Manama Tunisia Chokri Bejaoui Sacked [9] 11 April 2016 10th Bahrain Khaled Taj 11 April 2016
Riffa Tunisia Samir bin Chammam Sacked [10] 2 May 2016 4th Bahrain Ahmad Essa 2 May 2016

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Al Hidd (C) 18 12 6 0 39 15 +24 42 Qualification to the 2017 AFC Champions League preliminary round 2
2 Al-Muharraq 18 9 5 4 31 21 +10 32 Qualification to the 2017 AFC Cup group stage[lower-alpha 1]
3 Malkiya 18 7 6 5 23 20 +3 27 Qualification to the 2017 GCC Champions League Group Stage
4 Al-Riffa 18 7 2 9 22 26 −4 23
5 East Riffa 18 6 4 8 22 18 +4 22
6 Al-Ahli 18 5 7 6 22 21 +1 22
7 Manama Club 18 6 3 9 17 27 −10 21
8 Al Hala 18 5 5 8 22 31 −9 20
9 Busaiteen (R) 18 6 2 10 17 31 −14 20 Relegation to the 2016–17 Bahraini Second Division
10 Sitra (R) 18 4 6 8 20 25 −5 18
Updated to match(es) played on 23 April 2016. Source:
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated
Notes:
  1. Muharraq qualified for 2017 AFC Cup Group Stage as winners of 2015–16 Bahraini King's Cup.

Season statistics

Goalscorers
As of matches played 26 April 2016
Rank Player Club Goals
1 Bahrain Mohammad Saad Al-Rumaihi Al Hidd 17
Bahrain Ismail Abdullatif Muharraq 17
2 Bahrain Essa Abdulwahab Al-Beri Malkiya 10
3 Bahrain Ali Al-Asfour Sitra 7
Bahrain Sami Al-Husaini East Riffa 7
Brazil Diego Pelicles da Silva Al-Ahli 7

Hat-tricks
PlayerForAgainstResultDate
Bahrain Ismail AbdullatifMuharraqHala3–0[11]22 April 2016
Bahrain Ismail AbdullatifMuharraqRiffa3–3[12]18 May 2016

References
  1. "goalzz.com: Live sports scores, news and more". www.goalzz.com.
  2. "goalzz.com: Live sports scores, news and more". www.goalzz.com.
  3. "المحرق يقيل مدربه دراغان رسميا". Al-Bilad Press. 8 October 2015. Retrieved 8 October 2015.
  4. "المنامة يقيل مدربه الإسباني ميغيل أولمو ويعين كرامي". Al-Wasat News. 28 October 2015. Retrieved 28 October 2015.
  5. "الرفاع يقيل المدرب محمد شملان رسميا". Al-Bilad Press. 29 November 2015. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  6. "المنامة يقيل مدربه الإسباني ميغيل أولمو ويعين كرامي". Al-Chourouk. 29 November 2015. Archived from the original on 9 June 2016. Retrieved 29 November 2015.
  7. "الشرقي يُعين الشملان رسمياً اليوم." Al-Wasat News. 27 January 2016. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  8. "المحرق يتعاقد مع ثالث مدرب في موسم واحد". Al-Khaleej. 2 February 2016. Retrieved 1 February 2016.
  9. "المنامة يُقيل التونسي بجاوي ويُعين خالد تاج مدرباً". Al-Wasat News. 11 April 2016. Retrieved 11 April 2016.
  10. "المنامة يُقيل التونسي بجاوي ويُعين خالد تاج مدرباً". Al-Ayam. 2 May 2016. Retrieved 2 May 2016.
  11. "Muharraq vs. Al Hala - 22 April 2016 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
  12. "Muharraq vs. Al Riffa - 18 May 2016 - Soccerway". int.soccerway.com.
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