Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Sydney: Bahrain ended their AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015 campaign with a 2-1 win over Gulf Cup champions Qatar at Stadium Australia on Monday evening when a long-range strike from Sayed Ahmed Jaafar eight minutes from time gave Marjan Eid’s side their first points of the tournament.
Match highlights: Qatar 1-2 Bahrain
Click here for match summary
Neither team had any chance of advancing to the knockout rounds after losing their opening matches against Iran and the United Arab Emirates, but Bahrain reclaimed some pride when Jaafar struck to secure the win after Sayed Dhiya Shubbar had put the Bahrainis in front before Hasan Al Haydos equalised with a second half free kick.
The win ensures Bahrain finish third in Group C of the AFC Asian Cup Australia 2015, but Eid’s team were comprehensively outplayed by the Qataris for large periods of the game and the 2011 tournament hosts will have gone into the halftime break wondering how they had not found the back of the net.
Misfortune cost the Gulf Cup champions on more than one occasion, with Mohammed Muntari twice going close, the first when he steered the ball just wide of Hamad Al Dosari’s goal in the 20th minute and the second, four minutes later, when his header from Al Haydos’ free kick came back off the post.
In the 33rd minute, Al Haydos saw his shot cleared off the line by Abdulwahab Ali while, as the half entered the dying minutes, both Muntari and Boualem Khoukhi failed to find the back of the net.
Bahrain, though, always carried a threat in an open and entertaining game.
Shubbar’s sixth minute header was straight at Qasem Burhan, while the 22-year-old had another headed effort in the 29th minute that came back off the base of the post.
With 11 minutes remaining in the half, however, the Al Riffa striker put his side in the lead when Faouzi Aaish slalomed past two Qatari defenders before cutting the ball back to Shubbar, who steadied himself before sliding a left foot shot over the line.
Qatar continued to pick holes in the Bahrain backline into the second half, with Ali Asadalla evading the defence thanks to a one-two with Muntari, only to hit goalkeeper Hamad Al Doseri with his shot.
Midway through the half, though, the Qataris finally claimed the goal their possession play deserved when Al Haydos – their star performer on the evening – struck a low free kick that went under the Bahraini wall as it jumped before beating the keeper to his right.
Another pair of missed opportunities from Muntari continued to frustrate the Qataris and, as the young striker grew increasingly despondent, he and his team mates were punished in the harshest manner possible when Jaafar scored the winner with just eight minutes remaining.
Picking the ball up on the corner of the penalty area, the Al Riffa midfielder clipped his shot over the head of Burhan – who had taken a step off his line – and the ball sailed into the back of the net.
Photo: WSG