Bahrain U17s ending qualifiers on a high with bittersweet victory

In a fitting conclusion to their AFC U17 Asian Cup 2025 Qualifiers campaign, Bahrain's U17 team secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Bhutan, thanks to a clever panenka penalty from AbdulRahman Bassam in the 51st minute.

The match was a tale of two halves as Bahrain struggled to break down a resolute Bhutanese defense until the opportunity presented itself in the 2nd half. Bassam’s moment of brilliance displayed the flair that had eluded Bahrain earlier in the tournament.

The win, while impressive, came too late to salvage Bahrain's qualification hopes for the tournament in Saudi Arabia. Group C: A Tough Battle Bahrain’s win against Bhutan marked their 2nd win in a challenging Group C, which included powerhouses South Korea and China. 1. Korea Republic U17: 10 points (3W, 1D, 0L, 22GF, 2GA) 2. China U17: 10 points (3W, 1D, 0L, 19GF, 2GA) 3. Bahrain U17: 6 points (2W, 0D, 2L, 1GF, 4GA) 4. Bhutan U17: 1 point (0W, 1D, 2L, 2GF, 13GA) 5. Maldives U17: 1 point (0W, 1D, 3L, 2GF, 25GA) Both Korea and China nearly made it through the group stages with perfect records, highlighting the high level of competition.

China held their flawless record until Korea’s last-minute equalizer in a dramatic 2-2 draw. Korea topped the group by a slightly better goal difference. Looking Ahead While Bahrain's journey in the AFC U17 Asian Cup Qualifiers has come to an end, finishing third in such a competitive group is no small feat. T h e ex p e r i e n c e g a i n e d from competing against some of Asia's best youth teams will be invaluable for the development of these young players.