Bahrain seek first blood against New Zealand

Bahrain will be counting on massive support from home fans and familiar conditions to draw first blood when they clash with New Zealand here on Saturday in the first leg of the final play-off for a place in the 2010 World Cup.

The second leg will be held in Wellington on November 14 and the winner of this Oceania-Asia showdown will get to play in the showpiece soccer event in South Africa next year.

New Zealand’s last appearance in a World Cup finals was way back in 1982 while the Bahrainis are yet to make their debut.

Milan Macala’s team are certain to receive passionate support with the organisers having already made elaborate arrangements to see that the 25,000 capacity National Stadium is bursting at the seams on match day.

The visitors, however, received a timely boost even before making the short trip from Dubai, where they are presently training, to Manama on Friday evening with influential central defender and inspirational captain Ryan Nelsen declared fit for this crucial tie.

The Blackburn Rovers player had missed his club’s 6-2 thrashing at the hands of Arsenal in the English Premiership last week with a back injury and was doubtful for Saturday’s clash.

But the team’s medical staff yesterday declared the 31-year-old fit to hand coach Ricki Herbert the luxury of choosing from a full squad.

Nelsen will be a key player for New Zealand along with Simon Elliot in midfield and Shane Smeltz and Chris Killen up front.

Coach Herbert will certainly be relying on the experience and enterprise of the seniors in the team to get the first-half of the job done before the second-leg back at home.

The combined Kiwi team have experience of professional football in England, Holland, Scotland, the United States and Australia and it’s in this area that the visitors may be holding a slight advantage.

“The mood is positive and I can feel a buzz around the players,” New Zealand’s assistant coach Brian Turner said.

“This team has been four years in the making. They are now in their 20s, some of them late 20s, so there is a lot of experience, and in games like this can prove decisive.”

Bahrain too have no injury worries but the hosts will be without key defender Abdulla al-Marzooqi who is serving a four-match suspension.

But Macala has not lost any sleep over it as he, for the first time in a long period, had a majority of his professional players playing in different leagues across the Gulf at his command a week in advance.

Captain and energetic midfielder Mohammed Salmeen, who missed the heart-stopping clash against Saudi Arabia which Bahrain drew 2-2 in Riyadh to win on away goals and qualify for this final play-off, is also back after serving a one-match suspension.

“My players are more determined than ever to make the most of this opportunity,” said Macala.

“Both the players and fans were very upset when they lost to Trinidad and Tobago at the same stage four years ago,” said the 66-year-old Czech tactician.

“This time they are not willing to take any chances and will go all out to win this match.”