The Lebanese side started on the front foot and had their first sight of goal within four minutes when Hussein Zein supplied a through ball for Mohammed Kdouh whose shot from a tight angle hit the side netting.
It was, however, the visitors from Bahrain who opened the scoring 10 minutes later. Sayed Mohamed advanced down the right and whipped a cross for Isa Abdulbari. The club captain rode highest to head home his third goal of the 2019 AFC Cup and put Malkiya in front.
Al Ahed looked to respond and came close when Rabih Ataya tried his luck from 35 yards out, but the midfielder could only watch as Yusuf Hasan punched away his effort from the free-kick.
The equaliser finally came in the 34th minute. Ahmed Al Saleh sent a long ball that was cushioned down by Kdouh at the edge of the Malkiya penalty area for Ahmad Zreik, who beat his marker to the ball and drilled it into the bottom corner to restore parity.
Coach Bassem Marmar’s men built momentum following their goal and came back from the dressing room with renewed zeal. Al Ahed needed just seven minutes after the restart to move in front.
Ataya’s cross from the right wing went over all heads in the penalty box before Hussein Dakik collected it on the opposite flank and crossed back into the area. Defender Khalil Khamis leapt to meet the cross with a towering header into the back of the net to make it 2-1 for the Lebanese side.
The result means Al Ahed qualify to the Zonal Semi-Finals for the second year running as they finish top of Group C with 14 points. Malkiya, meanwhile, are eliminated. The Bahrainis finished second with eight points; that is one point and one place better off than their maiden AFC Cup campaign in 2018.
