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Iraqi Saleh Sadir (L) shoots a free kick at the Bahraini goal during their first round Group A football match at the 2011 Arab Games in Doha yesterday. (AFP |
Fahad Hardan gave Bahrain the lead with a terrific strike five minutes before half-time and Hasan converted a 63rd-minute penalty then went on to seal the victory with another goal six minutes later.
The result ended Iraq’s hopes of progressing to the knockout stage while Bahrain will advance unless Qatar, beat the Iraqis by at least three goals in the group’s final match on Friday.
Iraq had the ball in the net after 10 minutes when Bahrain goalkeeper Abbas Khamis fumbled a long-range shot and Karrar Almahmodi collected the rebound to feed Amjed al-Janabi. The striker turned the ball home only to see the linesman’s flag raised for offside.
Hardan put his team ahead against the run of play when, lurking four yards outside the penalty box, he met defender Ahmed Khalaf’s headed clearance from a corner to net with a spectacular volley.
The Bahrainis doubled their lead after the referee awarded a penalty for a challenge on Sami Alhusaini and Hasan stepped up to beat keeper Noor al-Bairawi from 12 yards.
Hasan added to Iraq’s misery when he got on the end of headed knock-on from Alhusaini and fired a precise shot past the stranded al-Bairawi into the net.
In today’s matches, Group C favourites Jordan will meet Sudan, who stunned 2007 runners-up Libya 1-0 on Sunday, in the early kick-off at the Thani Bin Jassim Stadium in Al Gharafa. That will be followed by Libya-Palestine game.
Oman, who played out a 0-0 draw with Saudi Arabia in their opening match, will play Kuwait at the Thani Bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan.