Last-gasp Australia break Bahrain hearts in World Cup qualifier

Group leaders Australia pulled off a last-gasp 1-0 victory over Bahrain in a lively Asian Zone Group One clash in Manama on Wednesday to take another step closer to the 2010 World Cup finals.

The all-important goal came three minutes into injury time, and against the run of play, when Marco Bresciano beat a couple of defenders to shoot past goalkeeper Sayed Jaffer.

With their third straight victory, Australia consolidated their position at the top of Group A with nine points. Bahrain are virtually out of the running as they stay on a single point from three matches.

The two group winners and runners-up in these Asian qualifiers will claim automatic berths for the 2010 World Cup while the third-placed teams will play each other home-and-away with the winner advancing to the inter-confederation play-off with New Zealand.

The opportunistic Palermo midfielder Bresciano was simply in the right place at the right time and converted a desperate effort into a dream goal.

“Bahrain played very well and we didn’t but we were lucky to get these three points. We didn’t deserve it. We would have been happy with one point,” said Australia’s Dutch coach Pim Verbeek.

“It was a top game but we never really had any control over this game. I tried to change a few things in the second-half as we were running backwards in the first. I feel very sorry for (Bahrain coach) Milan Macala as he will be going home with zero points after having played very well.”

Bahrain’s Czech coach Macala also blamed luck for the final outcome.

“It was a good game. But the most important thing in soccer is scoring goals,” he said.

“We did not score while the Australians did. We had five to seven good moments to score. I really cannot explain what happened in the last two minutes. We played with very good spirit but without luck.”

It was a shattering result for Bahrain as they played their hearts out with an under-strength team and under intense pressure in front of a demanding home crowd.

The hosts dominated the match, created the best chances and kept Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on his toes right through. But the crucial breakthrough still eluded them.

The Australians by contrast burst into action sporadically and never came close to threatening the Bahrain goal for most part of the match despite the return of two key players in Harry Kewell and Bresciano.

Bahrain began on a positive note though they were without four key players – midfielders Mohammed Salmeen, Abdulla Omar and Mahmood Jalal and defender Abdulla Al Marzooqi – due to suspension.

They made a first attempt at goal early in the match when an enterprising Abdulla Fatadi charged into the Australian penalty box. But his right-footed shot was fended off by a diving Schwarzer.

Bahrain maintained the pressure and came close to scoring again in the 20th minute.

Nigerian-born Jaycee John made a solo run through midfield and beat a couple of Australian defenders, but he managed only to drill his shot at Schwarzer.

Australia had to wait till the 40th minute before they could take a good look at the Bahrain goal when former Liverpool midfielder Kewell finally sprung into life with a header that went wide of the mark.

Bahrain continued to press hard to give some meaning to their domination with swift counter attacks and long passes.

Bahrain’s best chance came in the 69th minute when Isa released John with a well-timed pass down the centre. But John, as he had done in the first-half, wasted another golden opportunity to put Bahrain’s campaign back on track.

The closest the visitors came to scoring in regulation second-half was through Tim Cahill whose shot hit the side of the net.