FUTSAL – Bahrain took a major step forward yesterday in their bid to qualify for the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup 2025.
The kingdom’s women’s national team routed their counterparts from Iraq 9-5 in their second Group A game of their qualifying competition, currently being held in the city of Nonthaburi in Thailand.
Ameera Bader Swar fired in a sensational hat-trick to spearhead the Bahrainis while Shaikha Al Anood Al Khalifa and Manar Ebrahim chipped in with a brace apiece. Leleeya Sabkar Jawed and Hessa Al Isa rounded off the nationals’ scorers in the game, which was their second of four in these qualifiers.
Yesterday’s win followed Bahrain’s 1-1 stalemate against Lebanon in their opening fixture last week at Nonthaburi Stadium.
With the result, the Bahrainis rose to the top of the Group A table with four points. They are followed by hosts Thailand who are on three points but having played one game less. The Thais cruised against Palestine 8-1 in yesterday’s other divisional clash.
Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon are on a point apiece to complete the standings.
Bahrain are aiming to finish as one of the top two teams in their division to book a direct berth in this year’s AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup, which will be held in May in China.
They are scheduled to return to action on Friday against the home team, in a game kicking off at 3.30pm, Bahrain time, at the same venue. The nationals then wrap up their qualification campaign against Palestine on Sunday at 12.30pm, also Bahrain time.
Bahrain are coached by Brazilian tactician Marcelino Gomes. The rest of their squad in the competition includes Fatima Hamad Alnusuf, Rawan Nabeela Alaali, Eman Rashed Alkhatal, Rose Fayez Tobila, Sama Amjad, Amina Hamad Aldoseri, Shoog Abdulhaleem Alalwani, and goalkeepers Zahra Nezar and Hiba Salem Alhabishe.
Shaikha Al Anood opened the scoring for Bahrain against Iraq yesterday in the third minute. She guided in a corner-kick by Swar with her left foot from close range, giving her side a dream start. Not even a minute later, Swar doubled their advantage after sending home a rebound following an Ebrahim attempt from distance that was saved by Iraq goalkeeper Faeza Jalal Mahmood. Ebrahim then registered her first goal the very next minute with a clever back-heel just over a metre from the net after an Al Isa effort was blocked.
The nationals then conceded their first goal in the 12th minute, but replied brilliantly with back-to-back strikes to make it 5-1. Jawed scored from inside the penalty area in the 12th minute off an assist by Al Isa, and then three minutes later Ebrahim posted her second goal with a low shot from long range. The Bahrainis wrapped up a one-sided first-half with their sixth, with Swar scoring from just inside the six-metre line with a left-footed shot.
After the break, the Bahrainis continued from where they left off. Swar made it 7-1 four minutes in off a pass by Ebrahim, completing her hat-trick. Iraq then found the net twice but Shaikha Al Anood restored their five-goal advantage, 8-3, in the 28th minute, tapping in from close off a brilliant pass by Al Isa. The Bahrainis then conceded twice more in the final minutes, but Al Isa added another in the game’s 39th minute to peg the final score and seal the big win.
Bahrain are one of 19 national teams playing in four different qualification groups for the right to claim one of nine available berths in the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup.
Group B features hosts Indonesia, Hong Kong, Pakistan, India, and Kyrgyzstan; while Group C is composed of hosts Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Australia, the Philippines, and Kuwait. There are only four teams in Group D, including hosts Myanmar, Vietnam, Chinese Taipei, and Macau.
This year’s championship is set to be the third edition of the AFC Women’s Futsal Asian Cup. Bahrain are looking to qualify for the second time in the tournament’s history.
patrick@gdnmedia.bh
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