Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Manama: Muharraq will put their unbeaten record in the 2016 AFC Cup on the line when the Bahraini side face off against Jordan’s Al Faisaly on Wednesday with a place in the competition’s quarter-finals at stake.
Isa Al Hamdani’s side dropped just two points in the group stages – thanks to a 1-1 draw with Palestine’s Ahli Al Khalil on Matchday Five - as they topped Group D with 16 points and the coach is hoping his team can continue their impressive form as the competition reaches the knockout phase.
“We started our preparation just after the end of our league campaign and we are very focused on the match,” said Al Hamdani (pictured), whose side finished as runners-up in the Bahrain league behind Al Hidd in the recently-completed domestic season.
“Al Faisaly are a strong team and they have several good players which means that we should expect a tough match.
“Our aim is to continue playing as well as we have been in the competition and we are looking to go as far as we can. Our players will be ready for the match and hopefully we can get a good result tomorrow.”
Al Faisaly, who won the title in 2005 and 2006, qualified for the Round of 16 with a second-place finish in Group B behind Iraq’s Nafit Al Wasat and the team will go into the game under the command of new coach Feras Al Khalaileh.
Al Khalaileh replaced Rateb Al Awadat at the helm of the team last week and the new man is hoping for an impressive start to his own personal AFC Cup campaign.
“We are ready technically and the players are concentrating on the match despite the recent changes in the technical staff,” he said. “I have been with the team for a while and I know everything about the players.
“We will go into the match highly motivated as we want to have a good end to the season. We don’t have any pressure and the players are ready as we have prepared well. Our only concern is that the humidity in Manama could affect us.”
Photo: Lagardère Sports