Heartbreak in Riffa: Bahrain Let It Slip Against Australia Another late twist leaves Bahrain frustrated on the road to World Cup 2026

TDT | Manama

Email: mail@newsofbahrain.com

On another frustrating night at the Bahrain National Stadium, the national team once again fell short of securing a vital 3 points in their FIFA World Cup Qualifier campaign, settling for a 2-2 draw with Australia. The result, their second consecutive late collapse, leaves Bahrain with a challengi n g path ahead, as they prepare to face group leaders Japan on March 20.

Match Recap

Australia, who had looked largely untroubled for most of the match, struck early—Yengi found the back of the net just 38 seconds into the first half. For the next 70 minutes, Australia controlled the game, leaving Bahrain with little room to maneuver.

But then, Bahrain’s neversay-die attitude came to the fore. Substitute Mahdi Abduljabbar delivered an extraordinary moment, curling a shot from 45 yards over the head of Maty Ryan to equalize. The stadium erupted as Abduljabbar, who had already injected a spark into the game, struck again just two minutes later. In a bizarre twist, Australian debutant Hayden Matthews, under no pressure, accidentally headed the ball against his own post, setting up Abduljabbar’s second. Bahrain had turned the game on its head and were on the brink of a famous win.

With Bahrain temporarily climbing to second in the group, the joy was short-lived. As the clock ticked into the 96th minute, Australia capitalized on a defensive lapse to snatch an equalizer. Yengi, ever the danger man, was there again to bundle the ball in and deny Bahrain a much-needed win.

The state of play in Group C now leaves Bahrain with an uphill battle to qualify, as they sit 5th with 5 points after 5 matches, a single point behind Australia, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia—who all have 6 points. Japan remain firmly in control with 16 points after 6 matches.

What’s Next?

Bahrain’s hopes now hinge on a series of tough upcoming matches. They must regroup and take on Japan on March 20, after their Gulf Cup opener against Saudi Arabia on December 22. Their World Cup dreams are far from over, but with just 5 points on the board, every match becomes a final.