FOOTBALL – BAHRAIN are ready for their next big challenge in the 26th Gulf Cup tonight, as they face off with defending champions Iraq in Kuwait City.
The Bahrainis and Iraqis clash at Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium in the Kuwaiti capital in a game scheduled for an 8.30pm kick-off, Bahrain time.
Both sides will be looking to build on their winning starts in Group B earlier this week, with the nationals edging past Saudi Arabia 3-2 and Iraq defeating Yemen 1-0, both on Sunday.
Bahrain head coach Dragan Talajic said yesterday that he expects another tough match but expressed his full confidence in his players.
“We have been monitoring the Iraqi national team in a nice way, and this game will be very difficult,” Talajic said during his pre-game Press conference. “My full respect for the Iraq national team – they play nice and organised football.
“We are preparing the best way that we can and what I can say is that I trust my boys. They can play nice football and we have recovered in a nice way after our game against Saudi Arabia, which was very tough mentally and physically.
“Now, coming is Iraq, who are also a very strong team. Inshaallah, we will try to play nice football, which we know Iraq will do, and it will be a good game for all the fans.”
Talajic reiterated his pride in the kingdom’s national team for the way they stepped up in their opening victory against the Saudis, particularly over the last 20 minutes when they were pressed hard by the continental powerhouses.
“I am proud of my boys, they played with full confidence and trust in themselves and with full concentration,” Talajic said. “Now, inshaallah they will do the same against Iraq.
“We respect them, they are a very good team. I analysed a lot of their games and we know where we will face some difficulties.
“I trust in my boys. They are now mentally very strong. We work with them on this a lot. We know also that Iraq will have big support tomorrow, but we are Bahraini, with big heart.
“Inshaallah, we will see tomorrow.”
Bahrain forward Mohammed Al Rumaihi was also in yesterday’s conference alongside national team media manager Mohammed Abdulghaffar.
Al Rumaihi stressed that the team is focused on the task at hand and are determined to continue their winning ways.
“Our preparations have gone very well,” Al Rumaihi said through Abdulghaffar, who interpreted. “Thank God we got the three points from the first game, but now we are focused on Iraq, which will be another difficult match for us.
“As players of Bahrain, we always want to give everything. We will start to fight again tomorrow and to make a new story here for Bahrain.
“We have good memories against Iraq, but we won’t stop there. We will work again and face a new challenge in a new competition.”
In today’s other divisional clash, Saudi take on Yemen at Sulaibikhat Stadium at 5.25pm, Bahrain time.
The top two sides in each group at the end of a single round-robin will move on to the semi-finals on Tuesday next week. The winners of those games will then battle for the coveted title in the final on January 3.
The tournament champions will take home $1million in prize money, while the runners-up will come away with $750,000.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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