Saudis look to dash Bahraini World Cup hopes

Saudi Arabia will start from pole position when they clash with neighbours and bitter rivals Bahrain in the second-leg of the Asian Zone World Cup qualifying play-off here on Wednesday.

The winners of this match will clash with Oceania champions New Zealand in another play-off for a place in the World Cup finals to be held in South Africa next year.

Saudi Arabia can consider themselves lucky to be starting this match on even terms after having escaped with a 0-0 draw in the first-leg in Manama in a clash which the hosts dominated but could not give any meaning to that dominance missing at least three gilt-edged chances.

Bahrain coach Milan Macala was understandably piqued at the end of the match.

“I’m not sure if we won a point from this match or lost two. We had so many chances but could not convert a single one. We now have an uphill task,” the 65-year-old Czech Republic veteran admitted in the post match Press conference.

But Bahrain team manager Hassan Khalfan painted a bright picture on the eve of the team’s departure to Riyadh..

“Everything with the team is fine. We have no injury worries and are confident of moving to the next stage. Everybody is positive and we are working hard to get ready the best way we can,” said Khalfan ahead of making the short trip on Tuesday evening.

Saudi coach Jose Peseiro admits his team hold a slight advantage but is not willing to take any chances. He made this clear after being let off the hook by Bahrain in the first-leg.

“The score is still zero-zero. We could have used a goal (in the first-leg) but it was a very tough match. Sure, we believe it is good we will be playing at home next, but still we need to play,” said the Portugal tactician through a translator.

Saudi Arabia are looking for their fifth consecutive spot in the World Cup finals and are already smarting from the ignominy of having to play in the play-offs after having lost an automatic berth to North Korea.

The three other Asian teams having already booked their tickets to South Africa are Australia, Japan and South Korea. Saudi Arabia and Bahrain are vying for a fifth possible spot for Asia.

A draw on Wednesday night with at least one goal scored by each side will send Bahrain through based on the away goals rule.

Another goalless draw will send the match into a 30-minute extra-time to be followed by a penalty shootout while a victory by any margin will clear the way for Saudi Arabia.

Four years ago, Bahrain had cleared the hurdle (the final Asian play-off) they are presently facing and were only 90 minutes away from a place in the 2006 World Cup held in Germany.

They went into the second-leg of the inter-continental playoff holding an away goal advantage after having drawn 1-1 against Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean but ended up losing out.

That was the closest Bahrain have come to achieving their long-cherished dream of making their debut in the World Cup finals.

Now they are away to Saudi Arabia and have a mountain to climb given that the hosts will be on familiar territory and in a stadium that can accommodate over 71,000 soccer-crazy fans.