Bahrain go down fighting to Morocco

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s senior men’s national football team were narrowly beaten 2-3 by their counterparts from Morocco last night in an international friendly match played at the National Stadium in Riffa.

The game was held in a unique format. There were four quarters in all, each over a 30-minute duration, and all 28 players of the Bahrainis’ squad participating in their ongoing training camp took to the pitch.

The tune-up was held behind closed doors with no spectators or media present, and it was part of the nationals’ preparations for the fast-approaching FIFA Arab Cup, which kicks off on November 30 in Doha.

On target for Bahrain last night were veteran striker Ismaeel Abdullatif and influential midfielder Mohammed Jassim Marhoon. Both were part of Helio Sousa’s starting 11, along with Sayed Mohammed Jaafar, Ali Madan, Abdulwahab Al Malood, Ali Haram, Ahmed Bughammar, Rashed Alhooti, Sayed Redha Isa, Ahmed Nabeel, and Mohammed Hardan.

Abdullatif scored in the first quarter for Bahrain, when Morocco were also able to find the net. In the second quarter, Marhoon was able to score, as was Yahya Jubran who fired in for the visitors with a spot kick. The Moroccans’ winning goal came in the third quarter through Idriss Fetouhi. The Bahrainis were unable to find a reply, and the fourth quarter was goalless.