Bahrain outclass Kyrgyzstan in friendly

TDT | Manama

The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain posted a resounding 4-2 victory over Kyrgyzstan last night in an international friendly match played at the National Stadium in Riffa.

Three players were on target for the nationals in the contest, in which they fought back from a single-goal deficit twice. Substitute Mohammed Jassim Marhoon had a brace, scoring on either side of the interval, while Ali Madan supplied the Bahrainis’ opening goal in the first half and Komail Alaswad applied the nail in the coffin in the second.

The tune-up was part of the Bahrainis’ preparations for their upcoming campaign in the FIFA Arab Cup, which kicks off at the end of the month in Doha. The match was the second friendly for the nationals within a week’s time.

They had previously played African giants Morocco in a unique game last week, held over four 30-minute quarters. The Bahrainis lost the game 2-3. Kyrgyzstan took the lead at the 15-minute mark from the penalty spot after Bahrain’s Ahmed Bughammar brought down Alykulov Gulzhigit in the box.

Captain Kichin Valerii stepped up to take the spot-kick for the visitors, and he beat Sayed Mohammed Jaafar with a strike into the bottom-right corner of the goal. Madan then equalised in the 23rd minute after pouncing on a low cross from the left of the area, which he sent home from close range.

The deadlock was short-lived, however, as the very next minute, Kyrgyzstan’s Abdurakhmanov Odilzhon scored from distance with a volley that took a deflection and flew to the top-right corner of the net. Marhoon was introduced to replace Mahdi Humaidan in midfield after the latter appeared to suffer an injury. Marhoon immediately made his presence felt, scoring Bahrain’s second in the 45th minute to make it 2-2 with a low strike from a few yards out of the box that made it into the bottom-right corner.

The hosts had a chance to take the lead into the break after Sayed Redha Isa was fouled in the area, but skipper Sayed Dhiya Saeed hit his penalty wide of the left post to preserve the score at the half. It didn’t take long for the Bahrainis to take the 3-2 lead when action resumed.

In the 49th minute, a brilliant long pass from Bughammar from three-quarters’ length of the pitch was brilliantly collected by Marhoon with a single touch.

His second was his shot and he made no mistake with his low shot which he sent to the bottom-right corner of the goal. Alaswad then sealed the win from the edge of the box in the 71st minute off a crafty backheeled pass from striker Abdulla Yusuf.

Sousa started the match with Jaafar in goal; Waleed Al Hayam, Bughammar and Isa in defence; Saeed, Madan, Ali Haram, Jassim Al Shaikh, Alaswad and Humaidan in six-man midfield; and Mohammed Al Rumaihi as the lone striker.