FOOTBALL – BAHRAIN’S junior men’s football national team defeated their counterparts from Syria 1-0 last night in a friendly game played at home as part of both teams’ preparations for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027 qualifiers.
Ali Mehran fired in the decisive goal for the nationals at the Bahrain Football Association’s Fifa Stadium at its premises in Isa Sports City in Riffa.
The contest was the first of a series of tune-up games in the next few weeks for the Bahrainis, who are coached by former senior men’s national team and Muharraq Club star Ali Aamer. They will be playing another against Syria on Sunday at 7.15pm. It will be played at the same venue.
Bahrain will then play Bangladesh on August 16 and 19, both at Khalifa Sports City Stadium with 8.30pm start times. The nationals then travel to Doha where they will face Gulf rivals and hosts Qatar in their fifth and last friendly on August 24, kicking off at 7.15pm, Bahrain time.
Bahrain will be hosting qualification Group D for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2027. They are joined in their division by Tajikistan, Jordan, and Afghanistan.
Matches will be played at Khalifa Sports City Stadium in Isa Town from August 31 to September 6 as one of eight qualifying groups being held across the continent.
Bahrain will be looking to qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup for the 10th time. They first competed in 1973 and last in 2016, but have missed the previous three editions.