Bahrain to host Canada in friendly

TDT | Manama              

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s senior men’s national football team have scheduled an international friendly match against FIFA World Cup 2022 participants Canada, the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) announced yesterday.

The match will be played on 11 November at the Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town and it is scheduled for a 6.30pm kickoff, Bahrain time. The tune-up is part of the Bahrainis’ preparations for their upcoming competitions, including their highly anticipated title-defence in the Gulf Cup and the AFC Asian Cup, both happening next year.

For the visiting Canadians, it adds to their pre-World Cup schedule that also includes an away match against Japan on 17 November in Dubai. “Bahrain have graciously agreed to host us, which provides the team with an opportunity to both acclimate to the Middle Eastern conditions and to gain important minutes at an international intensity for a number of players prior to the FIFA World Cup final roster selection,” Canada Soccer’s men’s national team head coach John Herdman was quoted as saying.

The friendly will be played less than two weeks before Canada’s opening match at the World Cup, which will be on 23 November against Belgium. The Canadians are in Group F of the competition with the Belgians, Morocco and Croatia.

For Bahrain, it is the second match scheduled by the BFA against a FIFA World Cup participant. The nationals had previously lined up a game against Serbia on 18 November, also to be held in the Kingdom.

The Serbians are in Group G for the FIFA World Cup alongside Brazil, Switzerland and Cameroon. Both Canada and Serbia are well above Bahrain on the FIFA World Ranking. Canada are currently 41st in the world and fourth-best in the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF); while Serbia are 21st in the world and 13th in the Union of European Football Associations.

Bahrain are 85th globally and 13th in the Asian Football Confederation. The nationals are fresh from playing a pair of international friendlies against Confederation of African Football side Cape Verde and CONCACAF team Panama, both played in September and both of which they lost.

The upcoming Gulf Cup is scheduled to take place in Basra, Iraq, from January 6 to 19 next year. It will be the 25th edition of the prestigious competition. The Asian Cup 2023 will take place in June and July at a yet-to- be-determined venue.