BAHRAIN continued their hot start in the sixth West Asian Football Federation (WAFF) Women’s Championship with a 5-0 hammering of Palestine last night at the Muharraq Club stadium in Arad.
Skipper Yasmine Fayez was in her usual outstanding form as she contributed a brace for the hosts, while teammates Hessa Isa, Eman Al Khattal and Lilya Jawad all added a goal apiece.
All but Bahrain’s opener were scored in the second half of action.
Yasmine opened their account with a penalty on the stroke of half-time after she was taken down in the box by the opposing captain. She picked herself up and stepped in to take the spot kick, which she sent directly to the bottom-left corner of goal.
That was enough to give the home team a slim advantage heading into the interval.
After the break, Bahrain’s Hessa added their second in the 55th minute with a brilliant solo effort from the right of the box. She hit a powerful shot from an angle that the rival goalkeeper had no chance of stopping.
Eman then made it 3-0 in the 71st minute, and then Yasmine scored her second just one minute later for a commanding four-goal advantage.
Lilya then fired in the final dagger and Bahrain’s fifth with a brilliantly hit shot off a pass from the right wing. The ball sailed above the opposing goalkeeper and straight into the net, marking a spectacular finish for the host team and a well-deserved win.
The triumph was the second in as many games for Bahrain as they remained undefeated. This was the Palestinians’ first game of the competition.
The Bahrainis now have a few days of rest as they only return to action on Sunday. The Palestinians will be looking to bounce back from yesterday’s loss tomorrow.
Meanwhile, in last night’s other contest, Lebanon managed to come away with a 2-0 win against the UAE.
The winners netted home a goal on each side of the half-time break, first through Rana Mekdad in the opening minute of first-half stoppage time and then in the 85th through Sameera Awad.
The result earned Lebanon their first victory in two games while the Emiratis suffered their second straight loss.
Today is a rest day in the championship. Matches resume tomorrow at the same venue. At 4pm, holders Jordan hope to keep up with Bahrain and register their second successive win in the competition when they take on Lebanon, after which Palestine will be going up against the UAE at 7pm.
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