Bahrain’s road to recovery

TDT | Manama                                                      

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Email: hussainm@newsobahrain.com

Bahrain will face Indonesia tomorrow in a match that feels like a crossroads for both teams. After a humbling 5-0 defeat to Japan, Bahrain will be desperate to shake off that performance and reignite their World Cup qualifying campaign.

The memories of their gritty 1-0 win away against Australia aren’t too distant, and they’ll need to tap into that resilience if they hope to get back on track.

For Bahrain, sitting with just three points from two matches, there’s no room for another setback. Defender Sayed Baqer has been a key figure for the team, contributing two goals in five matches, while Mohamed Marhoon, who has scored once and set up two others, will need to provide stability in the midfield.

Bahrain’s strength has typically come from their defensive organization, but they’ll need to be more clinical going forward if they want to shake off the inconsistencies that have plagued them.

Indonesia, meanwhile, comes into this match winless, drawing both of their games. But they’re not without danger. Ramadhan Sananta has been the standout, with four goals in five matches, and Rizky Ridho has shown his ability to pop up with goals from defense.

Historically, Bahrain has had Indonesia’s number, including an infamous 10-0 win in 2012 World Cup qualifiers