Bahrain to play Togo on Nov 6

BAHRAIN will be gearing up for their return match against New Zealand with an international friendly against Rwanda.

National soccer team administrator Abdulrazzaq Mohammed confirmed this last night with the GDN.

The tune-up will be played on November 6 at the National Stadium in Riffa. It will be the Bahrainis' only friendly game before travelling to New Zealand capital Wellington for their do-or-die Asia-Oceania play-off against the Kiwis on November 14.

Both squads played to a goalless draw on Saturday in the first leg, leaving Bahrain with one last chance to fulfil their ambitions of a maiden World Cup berth at next year's finals in South Africa.

The national team is scheduled to resume training on November 1 under respected Czech coach Milan Macala.

Macala is expected to have an incomplete team by the start of practices - a dilemma he has been facing ever since he took the helm of the national team in 2007.

"If we can start tomorrow, we will, but everybody knows this is not possible," Macala said on Saturday night after their 0-0 stalemate at home.

"We have so many players leaving the country to be with their clubs just one day after our matches, and we don't know when they will be allowed to return."

The 66-year-old hopes, however, that Bahrain's overseas players who are based in Belgium, Switzerland, Kuwait, Qatar, and the UAE will be available when they face off with the Rwandans.

Following the friendly, the Bahrain squad will fly to Sydney on November 8 where they will hold a training camp until the 12th.

They will then make the trip to Wellington, where they plan to hold a pair of training sessions leading up to the qualifier against the Kiwis.

Mohammed left the kingdom for Australia early this morning to begin organising the team's stay in Sydney. He said that he hopes to have the national team stay in the same hotel and practise at the same stadium as when they were there in June earlier this year for an Asian World Cup qualifier against the Aussies.

Mohammed added that the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) is working hard with national carriers Gulf Air to find the quickest route to Sydney, so as to minimise the effect of the time-difference on the players.

Sydney is eight hours ahead of Bahrain, whereas Wellington is 10 hours ahead.

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Meanwhile, Mohammed - himself a former national team player who remains the most-capped Bahraini international in history with 102 national team appearances - called on the present group to make the most of their "last chance" to book a ticket to the World Cup finals.

"We don't know the future, so we are not sure when we will have this opportunity again," Mohammed told the GDN.

"This might very well be the last chance for many of our veterans to fulfil their World Cup dreams. That fact alone should be good motivation for the players, and I am confident we can get something done in New Zealand.

"We had many clear chances here in Bahrain but were unlucky. The situation there will be different, but I am hopeful of scoring one or two goals."

BAHRAIN'S national soccer team is set for today's friendly soccer match against Togo at the National Stadium in Riffa, starting 6pm.

The match is part of the Bahrain team's preparations for their deciding 2010 World Cup inter-confederation playoff against New Zealand in Wellington on November 14.

The Togolese delegation arrived in Bahrain yesterday with a full-strength 22-member squad for this tune-up match.

The Bahrain Football Association was originally trying to arrange a friendly against Rwanda on the same day but the Africans pulled out a few days ago and Togo stepped into the breach.

The match will be part of Togo's preparations to host their last game in Group 'A' in the World Cup qualifying competition against Gabon on November 14.

Meanwhile, defenders Faouzi Aaish and Mohammed Hussain arrived yesterday to join the national team.

Twenty one players are now available for Bahrain's coach Milan Macala while the remaining members of the squad are due to reach the island over the next two days before making the trip to Sydney on Sunday morning for a four-day camp.

Midfielders Abdulla Fatai and Abdulla Omar, both play for Switzerland's premier division club Neuchattel Xamax, had already joined the on Wednesday.

The other overseas Bahrainis who are due to arrive tomorrow are Belgium's Mouscron striker Jaycee John, Qatari league defenders Sayed Mohammed Adnan and Salman Isa besides UAE clubs' midfielders Hussain Baba of Al Shabab and skipper Moham-med Salmeen of Al Dhafra.

How-ever, the Bahrainis are gearing up for this deciding tie without their prolific striker Ala'a Hubail, who has torn the cruciate ligament in his right knee.

Macala has admitted that it would be a dream for his side to secure their first ever World Cup appearance.

Bahrain narrowly missed out on a berth for the 2006 World Cup held in Germany when they lost a similar two-legged encounter against Trinidad and Tobago. They now have the chance to make amends for that heartbreak when they travel to Wellington for a potentially historic encounter with the Oceania Zone champions.

Bahrain were held to a goalless draw in the first-leg in Manama but Macala highlighted exactly what it would mean to Bahrain if they can return home with a ticket to next summer's finals.

"I'm living this dream like any other Bahraini who wants his team to play in the World Cup for the first time ever. We will work very hard to achieve this dream and qualify for the World Cup," said the Czech Republic tactician.