Saudi Arabia Secure 2-0 Win Over Bahrain in Group C

Saudi Arabia kept their hopes alive for automatic qualification to the next round of the AFC Asian Qualifiers™ – Road to 26 after a solid 2-0 win over Bahrain on Thursday.

Join our FREE WhatsApp channel to dive into a world of real-time engagement!

The match, played at the Bahrain National Stadium, saw Saudi Arabia move up to 13 points in Group C. But with Australia sitting three points ahead, Herve Renard’s team will now need a win by at least five goals against the Socceroos on Tuesday to snatch second place.

Fast Start and Early Pressure

Saudi Arabia looked sharp from the start. Defender Hassan Al Tambakti launched a perfect long ball from deep, finding Ali Majrashi on the right. Majrashi’s first touch was excellent, taking him past his marker, but his second gave Bahrain goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfalla just enough time to close him down.

The breakthrough came in the 16th minute. Captain Salem Al Dawsari whipped in a brilliant first-time cross to the far post, where Musab Al Juwayr calmly sidefooted it in. The 2024/25 Saudi Pro League Young Player of the Season made no mistake and gave the visitors a deserved lead.

Bahrain Struggle to Respond

Bahrain tried to fight back with a long-range attempt from Komail Al Aswad and a header from Mohamed Marhoon off a corner, but Saudi keeper Nawaf Al Aqidi stayed untroubled.

Just before halftime, Saudi Arabia nearly doubled their lead. Aiman Yahya played a slick through ball to Al Dawsari, who was one-on-one with the keeper. His chipped effort had the right idea but floated just over the crossbar.

What’s Next

Saudi Arabia have done what they needed to for now, but the real test comes next week. To finish second in Group C and move forward automatically, they’ll need to beat Australia by five clear goals, a tall order, but not impossible for this determined side.

Stay tuned to see if the Green Falcons can pull it off.