Bahrain to face Philippines today

Bahrain is set to take on the Philippines tonight in a crucial must win FIFA 2018 Asia World Cup qualifier tonight 6pm at the National Stadium in Riffa if they are going to have any chance to progress.

The two teams met last June in the Philippines and the team known as the ‘Azkals defeated tonight’s hosts with a shock 2-1 victory on their home soil. Bahrain under Argentine coach Sergio Batista need to bounce back quickly following last week’s shocking 4-0 reversal to Uzbekistan at the National Stadium and have just three points from four games so far and are placed fourth presently.

The National team trail leaders North Korea (10 points), Uzbekistan (9) and tonight’s opponent who have seven points after all five teams have played four matches each, with Yemen at the bottom without a point. Bahraini will be relying on experienced defender and captain Hussain Ali Baba and goalkeeper Sayed Mohammed Jaffar to keep the ‘Azkals’ at bay and hope strikers such as Sami Al Hussaini, Abdulla Yousef Helal and the player who replaced him against Uzbekistan Ismael Abdullatif fire in the goals.

Both sides have also met in a friendly last March with Bahrain managing a 2-1 win, so a similar result would at least keep the Kingdom’s hopes alive.

The Philippines though could have an advantage with a large and vocal support presence from the Filipino expatriate community and could change the atmosphere in the stadium, if they come in large numbers?

Under former US International Thomas Dooley, Philippines are having its best ever World Cup campaign and its key players come in the shape of its captain PhilYounghusband, the record goalscorer with 42 goals, overseas players such as Neil Etheridge who plays in goal with English third tier side Walsall and Jerry Lucena who plays in Sweden for Esbjerg, others include local-based players, Amani Aquinaldo, Luke Woodland and Simone Rota.

Group leaders North Korea take on the basement team Yemen tonight in the other group match at the Kim Il Sung Stadium in its capital Pyongyang. These matches also double as 2019 Asian Cup qualifiers and the eight group winners and four best runners-up will advance to the 2019 AFC Asian Cup finals in the United Arab Emirates and the final round of group qualifiers for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The next best 22 teams from the preliminary stage of the joint qualifiers will compete in a separate competition for the remaining slots (11 + 1 UAE) in the 24-team 2019 Asian Cup.