Monday, September 21, 2015
Riffa v Bahrain 2-0
It was all very last minute but the opportunity was there so I reached for it. Bahrain. The nation that thrashed Indonesia 10-0 in a World Cup Qualifier not too long ago. A tiny island in the gulf home to about a million or so people. And they had the FA Cup on going so I went so there.
Many moons back I saw Bahrain Under 16s compete in an Under 16 event in Jakarta and was impressed by what I saw. Tidy, crisp passers of the ball, good movement. not world beaters but easy on the eye.
And that pretty much sums up the FA Cup tie I saw at Al Ahli Stadium at the weekend played out in front of a crowd of dozens. Riffa ran out well deserved winners but Bahrain had their moments and all in all it was not a bad game with one good goal to savour, a Riffa striker controlling the ball with his chest, making space and volleying home from about 12 yards.
I will be back for more games in the future not least because there is beer available on the island and there is even a pub crawl to be had and that, as Ratcat once opined, ain't bad!
Many moons back I saw Bahrain Under 16s compete in an Under 16 event in Jakarta and was impressed by what I saw. Tidy, crisp passers of the ball, good movement. not world beaters but easy on the eye.
And that pretty much sums up the FA Cup tie I saw at Al Ahli Stadium at the weekend played out in front of a crowd of dozens. Riffa ran out well deserved winners but Bahrain had their moments and all in all it was not a bad game with one good goal to savour, a Riffa striker controlling the ball with his chest, making space and volleying home from about 12 yards.I will be back for more games in the future not least because there is beer available on the island and there is even a pub crawl to be had and that, as Ratcat once opined, ain't bad!
# posted by Me @ 11:46 AM 
