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One of Asia's most rapidly improving national teams, Bahrain's national competition may be considered weak when stacked up against the might of the J-League and K-League but the discovering of a number of young talents in recent years and the success of overseas-based players has made that a moot point.
Competing at their third consecutive Asian Cup, it is a notable achievement for a country on the rise; a strong showing at the tournament itself would only add to a growing reputation, though preparation has been disrupted by the loss of a hugely experienced manager, injuries and a disastrous Gulf Cup campaign.
How They Qualified
Bahrain qualified for the Asian Cup after finishing with second in a group that included Japan, Yemen and Hong Kong. They picked up a notable victory against giants Japan early on in the campaign that caught the continent's attention and were only defeated away from home by the Blue Samurai and Yemen. Otherwise they disposed of the challenge of the latter and Hong Kong fairly easily to secure their passage.
Coach & Tactics
Salman Sherida, appointed in exigent circumstances after the resignation of Josef Hickersberger only a few days before the start of the Gulf Cup, prompting the federation to simply ask for a rescue act from the former international. His lack of experience and exposure at international level is the biggest concern for fans. He will rely on a lone striker and getting men behind the ball.
Star Player
At 25 years-old Jaycee John stands out as a rather exciting prospect, currently plying his trade in Turkey at club level. He has the capacity to excite up front with his technical ability and raw instincts, capable of making an impact against the bigger teams in the tournament.
Other notable members of the playing squad include midfielder Abdulla Baba Fatadi, who is another who boasts European experience, as well as as captain Salman Isa who scored the winner against Japan during qualifying.
Fans' Expectations
There's an overwhelming feeling of pessimsim and fear ahead of the Asian Cup, with the aforementioned Sherida failing to inspire confidence. Preparation has hardly been ideal with a number of injuries not helping matters, with the disastrous performance at the Gulf Cup - where Bahrain only managed a point from a group that included the UAE, Iraq and Oman - emphasizing the difficulty of the task at hand.
Goal.com Prediction
It's hard to see Bahrain progressing deep into the tournament but it's not a dissimilar situation this time around to the one that saw the team reach the semi finals of the 2004 version of the competition. In short, this is a team building its reputation on exceeding expectations markedly. However, given the problems with the coaching staff, the quarter finals seem a huge task considering Australia and South Korea will be their group stage opponents.
Competing at their third consecutive Asian Cup, it is a notable achievement for a country on the rise; a strong showing at the tournament itself would only add to a growing reputation, though preparation has been disrupted by the loss of a hugely experienced manager, injuries and a disastrous Gulf Cup campaign.
How They Qualified
Bahrain qualified for the Asian Cup after finishing with second in a group that included Japan, Yemen and Hong Kong. They picked up a notable victory against giants Japan early on in the campaign that caught the continent's attention and were only defeated away from home by the Blue Samurai and Yemen. Otherwise they disposed of the challenge of the latter and Hong Kong fairly easily to secure their passage.
Coach & Tactics
Salman Sherida, appointed in exigent circumstances after the resignation of Josef Hickersberger only a few days before the start of the Gulf Cup, prompting the federation to simply ask for a rescue act from the former international. His lack of experience and exposure at international level is the biggest concern for fans. He will rely on a lone striker and getting men behind the ball.
Star Player
At 25 years-old Jaycee John stands out as a rather exciting prospect, currently plying his trade in Turkey at club level. He has the capacity to excite up front with his technical ability and raw instincts, capable of making an impact against the bigger teams in the tournament.Other notable members of the playing squad include midfielder Abdulla Baba Fatadi, who is another who boasts European experience, as well as as captain Salman Isa who scored the winner against Japan during qualifying.
Fans' Expectations
There's an overwhelming feeling of pessimsim and fear ahead of the Asian Cup, with the aforementioned Sherida failing to inspire confidence. Preparation has hardly been ideal with a number of injuries not helping matters, with the disastrous performance at the Gulf Cup - where Bahrain only managed a point from a group that included the UAE, Iraq and Oman - emphasizing the difficulty of the task at hand.
Goal.com Prediction
It's hard to see Bahrain progressing deep into the tournament but it's not a dissimilar situation this time around to the one that saw the team reach the semi finals of the 2004 version of the competition. In short, this is a team building its reputation on exceeding expectations markedly. However, given the problems with the coaching staff, the quarter finals seem a huge task considering Australia and South Korea will be their group stage opponents.
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Top Scorers
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Ismaeel Abdulatif
Striker Bahrain |
4 | 1 |
|
Sayed Dhiya Shubbar
Midfielder Bahrain |
4 | 0 |
|
Mohammed Al Alawi
Midfielder Bahrain |
4 | 0 |
|
Mahmood Abdulrahman
Midfielder Bahrain |
2 | 1 |
|
Salman Isa
Midfielder Bahrain |
1 | 0 |