Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Manama: Bahrain's incredible 10-0 win over Indonesia proved to be academic as Qatar picked up the point they needed against Iran and claim the second Group E ticket to the Fourth Round of Asian Qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
With goal difference potentially being required to separate the two Gulf neighbours, should Bahrain beat Indonesia and Qatar lose in Tehran to see the two finish level on nine points, the Bahrainis would have known that finishing runners-up to Iran would be a long shot with them going into Wednesday's match with the ASEAN side needing to make up a nine-goal differential.
Remarkably, Peter Taylor's side did just that but their efforts were to go unrewarded after a Mohammed Kasola strike four minutes from time earned Qatar a 2-2 draw against Iran and the point they needed to progress to the fourth round of qualifiers alongside the three-time AFC Asian Cup winners.
Bahrain were given a major boost in their quest for goals when Indonesia goalkeeper Samsadir lasted just two minutes in his first start of the Third Round of Asian Qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup as Indonesia endured a catastrophic climax to the Group E campaign.
Slaman Nurcahyo was the unfortunate outfield player that caretaker coach Aji Santoso had to sacrifice to bring on substitute keeper Andi Muhammad Guntur in place of the sent-off Semen Padang stopper and the 21-year-old custodian's first action was to pick the ball out of the back of the net following Ismail Abdulatiff's successfully converted 5th minute penalty.
It was something Guntur would get accustomed to as the game progressed with hat-tricks scored by Mohamed Tayeb (15th, 60th and 65th) and 19-year-old Sayed Dhiya (62nd, 82nd, 90+4) while Abdulatiff scored his second in the 71st minute to bag a brace along with Mahmood Abdulrahman (34th pen, and 41st).