Bahrain get tough Gulf Cup group
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
Bahrain’s senior men’s national football team were yesterday drawn in a tough Group B for their highly anticipated title-defence in the 25th edition of the Gulf Cup football tournament, which is scheduled to take place in January of next year in Iraq.
The draw for the competition was held yesterday in Basra.
The Bahrainis are in the same group as Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE.
Group A consists of Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Oman and hosts Iraq.
The full tournament schedule has yet to be issued by organisers but matches are scheduled to kick off from 6 January, with the final slated for 19 January.
Basra International Stadium will be the main venue for games, with a capacity of up to 60,000 spectators in the stands.
Representing Bahrain’s squad at yesterday’s draw were national team assistant coach Ahmed Isa and administrator Abdulla Al Mutawa.
Also in attendance were Bahrain Football Association secretary general Rashid Al Zoubi and media manager Ahmed Mahdi.
The Bahrainis have already begun their preparations for the Gulf Cup, which will be one of their main competitions of 2023.
The nationals have scheduled a pair of high-profile international friendly matches against FIFA World Cup.
2022 participants next month as part of their programme leading up to the Gulf Cup.
They will first face Canada on 11 November and then go up against Serbia on 18 November.
Aside from the Gulf Cup, Bahrain will also be taking part in the AFC Asian Cup 2023.
The continental showcase will be held in June and July. Bahrain won the previous edition of the Gulf Cup in 2019.
It was an historic achievement for the national team after winning the title for the first time in nearly 50 years.
Mohammed Al Rumaihi scored the decisive goal in their 1-0 victory against Saudi Arabia in the tournament final.
Bahrain hosted the first-ever edition of the regional competition in 1970 but had previously never won until then.
They finished as runners-up four other times.
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