Bahrain book qualification berth

TDT | Manama    

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain punched their tickets last night to the AFC Futsal Asian Cup 2024.

The Kingdom’s national futsal team earned their berth with a resounding 6-1 victory over their counterparts from Brunei at Khalifa Sports City Arena in Isa Town.

Ahmed Abdulnabi and Falah Abbas were the first goal scorers for the Bahrainis in the first half and they took a slim 2-1 lead into the break.

But in the final 20-minute period, goals from Saleh Sankar, Mohammed Al Sandi, Salman Al Mulla and Jassam Anan helped them secure the big win.

The result was Bahrain’s second successive win in Group F of the qualification competition.

They improved to a maximum six points from their two games played so far and have one last fixture tomorrow against Kuwait.

The clash will decide the Group F winners, who will earn a direct berth in next year’s AFC Futsal Asian Cup.

Bahrain and Brunei are in the same pool as Kuwait and Timor-Leste.

The qualifiers feature 31 countries in all, divided into eight groups, with each group being hosted at a centralised venue.

In yesterday’s other Group F fixture, the Kuwaitis routed Timor-Leste 8-1. Bahrain’s game tomorrow against Kuwait is scheduled for a 6.30pm kick-off at the same venue, with Brunei and Timor-Leste facing off in the earlier game at 4pm.

Tomorrow is the final match day of the qualifiers.

The Bahrain Football Association confirmed last night the national teams qualification regardless of tomorrow’s results.

After a single round-robin, the eight group winners earn automatic berths in next year’s AFC Futsal Asian Cup along with the seven best-ranked runners-up and the host national team.

Bahrain’s Brazilian head coach Rafael Fogageiro has a 14-player squad competing.

Bahrain have qualified for the AFC Futsal Asian Cup for only the fourth time in the tournament’s history.

The hosts of next year’s event have yet to be determined.

The nationals previously also played in the 2002, 2018 and 2022 tournaments, with their best finish in the 2018 event in Taiwan where they reached the quarter-finals.

The competition also acts as the qualification for the FIFA Futsal World Cup, with five teams from the AFC booking a berth in the global competition, also to be held next year in September