FOOTBALL – Bahrain and hosts UAE played to a 1-1 stalemate last night in their last match of the second round of joint-qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026 and AFC Asian Cup 2027.
Mahdi Abduljabbar and Sultan Adil were on target for their respective sides in the contest, played at Zabeel Stadium in Dubai. Both goals were scored in the opening 10 minutes of play.
The game had no bearing on either team’s qualifying bids. They both had already booked their tickets to the third round of the continental qualifiers for the World Cup, while also already officially clinching their places amongst the 24-nation field in the Asian Cup.
The draw was the second for the Bahrainis after six games in this stage of the joint-qualifiers, which they wrapped up with 11 points for second place on the Group H table. For the Emiratis, it was their first time to drop points in their six matches, as they finished on 16 points in first.
Bahrain had a dream start to yesterday’s encounter after Abduljabbar put them in front after only four minutes. With the team making a quick counterattack, the crafty forward was on the receiving end of a fine pass from Ali Madan, with Komail Al Aswad appearing to make a slight touch. Abduljabbar then sent home a right-footed shot from the middle of the box past UAE goalkeeper Khalid Eisa and into the centre of goal.
With the visiting Bahrainis taking the lead, the home team raised their play and quickly brought the game back on level terms just six minutes later.
Adil fired in the equaliser past Bahrain’s Ebrahim Lutfhallah, converting a left-footed effort from close range, assisted by Mohammed Al Attas, who delivered a long pass from beyond the midfield line.
Adil’s goal was eventually enough to earn both sides a share of the points at the final whistle, although they each had other chances on either side of the break. The UAE’s Yahya Al Ghassani sent his effort just wide of the left post in the 30th minute, and then an Abduljabbar shot that was on target in the 71st was saved by Eisa.
Both teams can now look forward to the third round of World Cup qualifying, which will feature 18 teams in all. The draw for this phase is scheduled for June 27, and the matches will be played from September this year to June 2025.
The top two teams from each group will book their tickets to the FIFA World Cup 2026, while the third and fourth-ranked squads will move on to play in a fourth round of qualification.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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