Bahrain Must Respond, Turkmenistan Clash Crucial

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

After heavy defeats, both teams fight to stay alive in Group C

Stark Reality After Opening Night

Bahrain’s AFC Women’s Asian Cup qualifying campaign began with a hammering, and now there's no more room for error. Sunday’s 7-0 defeat to Bangladesh exposed everything coach Mohammed Adnan's team cannot afford to repeat as they prepare to face Turkmenistan on Wednesday.

The loss, which is Bahrain's heaviest in a women’s competitive fixture, saw them five goals down by half-time in Yangon. Defensive disorganisation, midfield gaps, and an attack that failed to register a meaningful chance combined for a bruising afternoon.

Turkmenistan, meanwhile, fared no better. Their 8-0 loss to hosts Myanmar mirrored Bahrain’s own struggles—sluggish defensive reactions, lack of structure, and a missed penalty that could have shifted early momentum.

Bahrain’s Final Chance

Both sides now enter their second Group C match knowing anything less than a win will effectively end their campaigns. Only the group winner moves on to next year’s tournament in Australia, and with Bangladesh and Myanmar well ahead on goal difference, Bahrain need a convincing result just to stay within reach.

Mohammed Adnan is expected to make changes. Rawan Alali, who endured a difficult outing against Bangladesh, including an own goal, will be key to regaining composure at the back. Further forward, Bahrain must find more cohesion in midfield and urgency in attack.

Substitute Farah Khaled, speaking to TDT, said: “It’s going to be tough, but we’re up for the fight to still qualify. We want to represent the country well and make them proud, so we’ll give it everything in the last two matches.”

Turkmenistan Vulnerable

Despite their own 8-0 loss, Turkmenistan showed flashes of intent, winning a penalty and maintaining shape for parts of the first half. However, they faded quickly under Myanmar’s intensity and rarely tested the goalkeeper after the break.

Bahrain will need to capitalize early. If they can avoid the nervous defending that plagued them in the opener, this is a chance to reset.

Beyond Scorelines

Even if Bahrain win on Wednesday, the path forward remains steep. They would still need to beat Myanmar in the final group match and hope Bangladesh drop points. But for now, the task is simpler: restore confidence and keep the campaign alive.

Both teams are wounded. Only one can respond.