Bahrain fall to Palestine in friendly

TDT | Manama                                        

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com   

Bahrain narrowly bowed to Palestine 1-2 last night in an international friendly match played at Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa Stadium at Muharraq Club in Arad.

The nationals conceded two goals over a 10-minute span early in the second half, and then skipper Sayed Dhiya Saeed fired in their lone consolation in the 80th minute.

The game was the first of two tune-ups for the Bahrainis in a week. They also face off with Syria on Tuesday, which will be the final day of their latest local training gathering under head coach Helio Sousa.

The Portuguese tactician had a starting 11 last night that featured Ammar Abbas in goal, playing alongside Saeed, Amine Hasan, Mohammed Hardan, Ali Madan, Ahmed Nabeel, Ali Haram, Jassim Al Shaikh, Mohammed Adel, Mahdi Humaidan and Mahdi Abduljabbar.

In the 40th minute, Abduljabbar missed a key chance to put the Bahrainis ahead after failing to convert a penalty.

Madan was taken down in the box, and Abduljabbar’s shot, hit towards the bottom-left corner of goal, was saved by a diving Palestine goalkeeper Rami Hamadeh.

After the re-start, Bahrain’s Abbas made his own fine save in the 50th minute off a shot from outside the box by Palestine’s Islam Al Batran.

But then the Palestinians scored on the ensuing corner kick after Abbas fumbled the ball as he tried to collect the cross.

Michel Milad was then first to the loose ball and he headed home from close range. Just 10 minutes later, Palestine doubled their advantage.

Al Batran struck from the right wing, and his shot was deflected as it swerved into the net. Sousa tried to inject some life into the national team and inserted stars Komail Alaswad and Mohammed Jassim Marhoon.

Their impact was instant and Madan threatened with a shot in the face of goal that was parried away by Hamadeh.

Saeed later got one back for Bahrain in the 80th minute with a left-footed strike from inside the penalty area.

He shot the ball into the top-left corner, far from the reach of Hamadeh. Madan was denied once more in the 89th minute, with his shot from up close punched away.

The nationals then should have equalised in the second minute of second-half stoppage time, but could not convert their chances.

This week’s friendlies are the first international games for the senior men’s national team since competing in the 25th Arab Gulf Cup in Iraq in January.

They are using the matches to prepare for their upcoming competitions, including the 2023 AFC Asian Cup, to be held in Doha in January of next year.