FOOTBALL – Ali Mahran fired in a hat-trick to spearhead hosts Bahrain to a resounding 3-2 victory over Tajikistan early this morning in their opening Group D match of the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.
Mahran scored twice in the first half and then added his third in the 90th minute at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town.
Last night’s affair had a lengthy interruption when the lights suddenly went out with just over five minutes remaining in regular time.
It took nearly two hours for action to resume.
In yesterday’s earlier fixture at the same venue, Jordan edged past Afghanistan 1-0.
Adeeb Rehbi Ramadan netted the lone goal in the 42nd minute to help lift the Jordanians to victory.
Group D action continues on Thursday with another two matches.
Bahrain are one of 32 junior men’s squads in the qualifiers.
The field has been divided into eight groups of four.
Following a single round-robin, the eight group winners and seven best second-placers will punch their tickets to next year’s AFC U20 Asian Cup.
The nationals had a dream start last night as Mahran needed just six minutes to open their account.
He scored with a header from the face of goal off a brilliant cross delivered from the right by Mohammed Rashed Aljazzaf in a quick counter-attack.
The visitors drew level just eight minutes later.
Azizbek Murotov coolly fired in from inside the area as the home side tried frantically to block his effort.
But Mahran gave Bahrain some breathing room a minute before the interval, heading in after their opponents failed to clear the ball on a corner kick.
After the re-start, the nationals had multiple chances to add to the score line, and Mahran did just that following the power outage.
He slotted home off a rebound after Tajikistan custodian Abubakr Rahmonqulov saved a shot from Bahrain’s Ahmed Nasser Alhumood.
Tajikistan then got a second goal back after Bahrain’s Bader Alasam inadvertently sent the ball into his own net in the second minute of second-half injury time.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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