Bahrain are ready to make history tonight when they take on Oman in the final of the 26th Gulf Cup in Kuwait.
This was stressed yesterday by senior men’s national team head coach Dragan Talajic, who was speaking in his pre-match Press conference.
The Croatian tactician said that his players are determined to lift the champions’ trophy for only the second time in the tournament’s history – adding to their historic triumph in 2019 – and are ready to go all out in the highly anticipated affair.
“My boys will write history,” said the Croatian tactician. “They already did it with a previous coach in Mr (Helio) Sousa, and now I am here to help them repeat it, inshaallah.”
The contest is set to be played at Jaber International Stadium in Kuwait City, kicking off at 7.30pm, Bahrain time.
Talajic reiterated his pride in his players for their outstanding showing so far in the tournament.
“I am so proud of my boys, my 30 sons, this is unbelievable what they are making here – these 15 to 20 days without any problem in the team. Unbelievable! I am so proud of them and how they are playing and how they have reached the final.
“They have put in the hard work, my boys are excellent players, and we are one family.”
Bahrain will be playing tonight’s title-decider without influential forward Mahdi Abduljabbar, who is suspended after being given his marching orders in their semi-final win over Kuwait. Talajic said that with Abduljabbar’s absence – along with that of injured players Ali Haram, Abbas Al Asfoor, and Sayed Hashem Issa – the national team will be battling on their behalf.
“What happened with Mahdi makes me a little upset because we cannot replace him,” Talajic said. “He is my boy and he has given everything that he can for Bahrain, but this is part of football.
“My boys are an unbelievable group. They will not only play for the kingdom and for themselves, but also for Abduljabbar, for our injured players like Haram, Al Asfoor, and Hashoomi. We will play and get this win for them, inshaallah.”
Against the Omanis, Talajic is expecting nothing less than a dogfight, and admitted that their rivals are the favourites, currently being higher on the Fifa World Rankings – although by just one spot – and going undefeated in the tournament in their four games to date.
“We respect Oman very much,” said Talajic. “It will be a difficult game for both of us, and I have to say mabrook for the Oman national team and their head coach for reaching the final after playing in a hard group and then beating Saudi Arabia in the semi-finals.
“Now, two teams are left, and we are coming like the underdogs.”
Veteran goalkeeper Sayed Mohammed Jaafar, who captained Bahrain’s title-winning side in the 2019 Gulf Cup, said that they know what it will take to win this evening’s clash.
“We have the experience as players in our squad, and we have reached the final with co-operation between all our players and with hard work and determination,” he said through an interpreter during the same conference. “We all have sacrificed a lot and have worked very hard.”
Talajic had an extra special message for Bahrain’s trio of keepers, who include Jaafar, Ebrahim Luthfallah, and Ammar Mohammed.
“We have three goalkeepers who are unbelievable – all deserve to be number one,” Talajic said. “In all my years as a coach, this is the first time I have seen how they support each other – lunch, dinner, all the time together. I am proud of these guys very much.”
When asked how their Gulf Cup performance will impact Bahrain’s ongoing qualification bid for the Fifa World Cup 2026, which they resume in March of this year, Talajic said: “This game is very important for us, no question – it is important for all the kingdom, for all people, for us personally, for everyone.
“Inshaallah, if we win, it will be a big push for our self-confidence. But we know we have a very hard job awaiting us tomorrow, and then in World Cup qualification.”
The Bahrainis held their last training session ahead of this evening’s game at Qadsia Club in the Kuwaiti capital last night.
Meanwhile, Bahraini Ambassador to Kuwait Salah Ali Almalki revealed that Kuwait has agreed to exempt Bahraini fans attending the final from giving fingerprints at points of entry to Kuwait, and only provide them at points of exit when leaving the country.
Thanking Kuwait for this gesture, the ambassador wrote on his official X account: “I would like to extend my sincere thanks to His Excellency Shaikh Fahad Al Yusuf, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence and Minister of Interior, for his kind response to exempt our national team fans who are Bahraini citizens from fingerprint procedures upon entry to the State of Kuwait to facilitate their entry in the shortest possible time, provided that such procedures are implemented at ports of exit upon exiting the country”.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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