FOOTBALL – BAHRAIN’S stoppage-time loss to China last year was the lowest point of their Fifa World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign, and the national team are determined to make up for that result when they take on the Chinese once again today in a non-bearing affair.
This was emphasised yesterday by head coach Dragan Talajic, who was speaking during his pre-game Press conference.
The two sides are scheduled to face off at 2pm, Bahrain time, at Chongqing Longxing Football Stadium in their concluding fixture in round three of the continental qualifiers for next year’s international football showcase.
Talajic underlined that Bahrain will give their best effort to claim the victory – even with both teams already eliminated from further contention in Fifa World Cup qualification. They are also eager to erase the disappointment of their home defeat to China last November in their first meeting of this stage, when the visitors fired in a heartbreaking winner in the first minute of second-half injury time.
“It really was painful,” said Talajic yesterday of that setback at the National Stadium in Riffa. “I think it was our biggest mistake in World Cup qualification.”
A few minutes prior to China’s winner, a goal from Bahrain’s Ali Haram was disallowed after a VAR review ruled him as being offside – a call that Talajic admitted still bothers him.
“I am upset with losing that game in Bahrain but I will repeat – the minute before China’s goal, we scored, and until now I am not so sure it was offside,” said the Croatian. “One second later, you won the game.
“We missed three points that meant a lot to us. At the end of the story, we are out of World Cup qualification, but we will try our best tomorrow to win this game and close the qualifiers with a win.”
Talajic added in jest: “I said after that game, congratulations, but we will see tomorrow; I have to grab something for myself, and I hope it will be two minutes before the end of the game.”
Talajic acknowledged that subdued mood surrounding today’s match, with the Fifa World Cup 2026 dreams of both Bahrain and China already crushed.
“This game is a little bit difficult, we are disappointed – same like you are – because we are not qualified for the next round of the qualifiers, but this is still a qualification game for the World Cup.
“We will play the best we can to achieve a good result, and that means to try to win the game.
“We respect the China national team too much, but we have to do something more because they beat us in Bahrain 1-0.
“As the coach, every single game means too much. Every single game for me and my players, we will try to win, to try to play nice football for the people to enjoy and watch a nice game, and I can promise we will give our best what we can.”
Talajic praised China head coach and countryman Branko Ivankovic but downplayed any rivalry between the pair heading into today’s encounter.
“I know him very well, he is one of the best coaches from our country,” said Talajic. “You have to be happy to have a coach like him. I respect him, we know each other very well, but tomorrow it will be a game not between us, but between Bahrain and China.”
Meanwhile, the national team’s talented young striker Ahmed Al Sherooqi said that the players are ready to fight for the full three points in today’s clash.
“As usual, we will play for the win, even if our situation is different this time,” said Al Sherooqi through an interpreter at the same Press conference yesterday.
“Usually, we are playing to win every single game as a national team player, so we are focused on our team and on doing whatever we can to get the last three points in this group.
“We know the China team very well, and we know they have very good qualities and good players. We have good quality as well, so we wish to give a full performance to get the three points that we want.”
Bahrain and China are tied on six points apiece as the bottom two sides on the Group C qualification table, but the nationals have a better goal difference. Japan are in first place with 20 points despite suffering their first loss of this qualification round against Australia last week.
The Australians improved to 16 points and will face Saudi Arabia today in their concluding game to officially confirm the second team from this pool that will join the Japanese as direct qualifiers for next year’s Fifa World Cup finals.
The Saudis stayed in contention after improving to 13 points with their 2-0 triumph over Bahrain, and are followed by Indonesia with 12 following their 1-0 victory against China in Jakarta.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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