Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Bangkok: It was honours even as Thailand and Bahrain prepared for their respective 2018 FIFA World Cup and 2019 AFC Asian Cup Preliminary Joint Qualification Round Two matches with a 1-1 draw on Friday.
The home side dominated the first-half at the Rajamangala Stadium and after efforts from the Kroekrit Thawikan and Wichaya Dechmitr in the 13th and 17th minutes respectively, Thailand came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock on the half-hour mark.
Pokklaw A-nan – scorer of Thailand’s winner against Vietnam as Kiattisuk Senamuang’s side made a winning start to their joint-qualifying campaign at the same venue last month – saw his goal-bound shout blocked by a defender after Bahrain keeper Hamed Al Doseri had initially denied Kroekrit.
Thailand took the lead five minutes after the interval when substitute Jakkraphan Pornsai’s free-kick deflected off the three-man Bahrain wall and into the net past a wrong-footed Al Doseri, who denied the Thais a second eight minutes later when his sharp reflexes pushed Wichaya’s angled drive onto the woodwork following a quick Thailand counter.
Bahrain equalised against the run of play in the 78th minute when Sayed Shubbar Al Alawi ghosted in front of his marker to bullet a header past Thai keeper Sinthaweechai Hathairattanakool, who denied Bahrain a late winner when he blocked at the feet of Sami Al Hussaini.
Thailand will be looking to build on their 2018 FIFA World Cup/2019 AFC Asian Cup joint-qualifying opening win over Vietnam when the ASEAN champions take on Chinese Taipei in their second Group F match on June 16, while Bahrain kick-off their Group H campaign against the Philippines in Bocaue City on June 11.
Photo: Vachira Kalong