Bahrain National Football Team Kicks Off Training Camp
TDT | Manama
The Bahrain national football team began their training camp as preparations intensified for their upcoming 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Saudi Arabia and China. These fixtures, scheduled for June 5 and June 10, are vital in Bahrain's pursuit of their first-ever World Cup appearance.
Focused on Recovery and Fitness
The initial session prioritized player recovery and fitness restoration, featuring stretching routines and light exercises designed to ease the squad back into full training mode following their recent club commitments. Sixteen players participated in this opening session, with anticipation high for the arrival of additional teammates from Al Khaldiya Club and professionals currently completing duties in Kuwait.
Among those already training is Olympic squad player Sayed Mahmoud Al Moussawi, who adds youthful energy and versatility to the group.
Squad and Stakes
Coach Dragan Talajić has named a 25-man squad with seasoned veterans with promising talent. Notable names include goalkeeper Ebrahim Lutfallah, midfielders Mehdi AlHumaidan and AlSayyed Mahdi Baqer, and Vincent Emmanuel, whose firepower upfront is expected to be crucial.
With the qualifiers intensifying, Bahrain currently sits fifth in Group C, trailing Japan and Australia who hold the top two automatic World Cup qualification spots. Only the top two teams secure direct qualification, while third and fourth enter playoff rounds, meaning Bahrain must capitalize on their upcoming home clash against Saudi Arabia to keep their dream alive.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Tribune
a day ago
- Daily Tribune
World Boxing Acts, Gender Testing Mandated
TDT | Manama New Rules Shake Up Boxing World Boxing, the sport's emerging global authority, announced a major policy shift on Friday, mandating gender testing for all boxers in its competitions. The decision, set to impact the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, has immediate consequences, with Paris 2024 women's welterweight champion Imane Khelif barred from competing until she completes the required genetic screening. With over 100 national federations backing World Boxing, the organisation is focused on ensuring a fair and safe competitive environment in a sport defined by its physical demands. Khelif, whose gold-medal triumph in Paris sparked a global gender-eligibility debate, is at the heart of this new policy's implementation. Khelif in the Spotlight The Algerian Boxing Federation, a World Boxing member since September, was notified that Khelif cannot compete in the female category at events like the upcoming Eindhoven Box Cup (5-10 June) without passing the mandated test. World Boxing's statement was unequivocal: 'Imane Khelif may not participate… until she undergoes genetic gender screening in accordance with World Boxing's rules.' The policy, enacted swiftly by the organisation's executive board under emergency authority, requires all boxers over 18 to undergo a PCR genetic test. Conducted via swab or blood sample, the test identifies the Y chromosome to determine eligibility for male or female categories based on biological gender or differences in sexual development (DSD). Khelif, unreachable for comment, has previously stated she is not transgender and plans to defend her title in 2028. A Response to Controversy The decision follows a stormy year for boxing. Khelif and Taiwan's Lin Yu-ting, both Paris gold medallists, faced intense scrutiny after the International Boxing Association (IBA) disqualified Khelif from the 2023 World Championships over a gender-related test. With the IBA stripped of Olympic recognition, the International Olympic Committee cleared Khelif for Paris, but World Boxing's new rules signal a tougher stance. 'This is about protecting athletes in a combat sport,' World Boxing stated, highlighting the physical risks in Olympic-style boxing. The policy navigates a complex issue, intensified by recent moves like a US executive order banning transgender athletes from women's sports. What's Next for Boxing? As the Eindhoven Box Cup approaches, attention turns to Khelif and the Algerian federation's response. World Boxing's rapid rise since 2023 and its IOC recognition for 2028 lend the policy significant clout. The introduction of mandatory gender testing is a defining moment for the sport, likely to fuel ongoing debates about fairness and inclusion as boxing charts its future.
Daily Tribune
a day ago
- Daily Tribune
Swiatek, Sabalenka reach last 16
AFP | Paris Iga Swiatek kept her bid for a fourth consecutive French Open title on track yesterday, advancing to the last 16 at Roland Garros along with top women's seed Aryna Sabalenka and Olympic champion Zheng Qinwen. Reigning men's champion Carlos Alcaraz will look to book his place in the last 16 later to join Italy's Lorenzo Musetti and Dane Holger Rune who both rallied to set up a fourth-round clash. Swiatek came through despite a very close second set against Romania's world number 60 Jaqueline Cristian, winning 6-2, 7-5 in nearly two hours in sweltering conditions on Court Suzanne Lenglen. 'Before it was 20 degrees when I played my first match but today it was 30 degrees. It is not easy to adjust but I have played in every condition,' said Swiatek. The 23-year-old Pole awaits the winner of a big-hitting showdown between Elena Rybakina and Jelena Ostapenko, who has beaten Swiatek in all six of their previous meetings. A former world number one, who has fallen to fifth in the WTA rankings, Swiatek has not won a title since her third consecutive title on the Parisian clay in 2024. Swiatek broke the 60thranked Cristian twice in a comfortable first set, but she was pushed a lot harder by her rival in the second and had to save six break points. 'She went for it every time I gave her a chance,' said Swiatek, hoping to become the first woman to win four succes-sive Roland Garros titles since Suzanne Lenglen 102 years ago. 'I'm just happy that I was super solid and didn't give any free points but she used her chances.' Sabalenka relishes battle Earlier Sabalenka produced a dominant display in a 6-2, 6-3 win over Serbian left-hander Olga Danilovic. 'Olga is a fighter. I enjoyed our battle,' said Madrid Open winner Sabalenka after beating her 34th-ranked rival in 79 minutes on Court Philippe Chatrier. The 27-year-old Belarusian next plays 16th-seeded American Amanda Anisimova for a place in the quarter-finals. Anisimova ousted Danish 22nd seed Clara Tauson 7-6 (7/4), 6-4 in their third-round tie. Zheng ended the run of Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko 6-3, 6-4. The Chinese eighth seed has now won nine successive matches at Roland Garros following her run to Olympic gold last year. 'We had some really good points, it was not an easy match,' said Zheng. 'Today was a tough battle against Qinwen,' said 18-yearold Grand Slam newcomer Mboko. 'Lots of things to learn and hopefully come back to my next tournament with some more positives and (having) improved on my game.' Zheng is through to the fourth round in Paris for the second time and will next Russian 19th seed Liudmila Samsonova who brushed aside Ukraine's Dayana Yastremska 6-2, 6-3. Zheng and Samsonova will both be bidding for a first Roland Garros quarter-final berth. Eighth seed Musetti won 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 against Argentine Mariano Navone in three hours and 25 minutes. Musetti arrived in Paris as one of the form players in the world after backing up his runner-up finish in Monte Carlo with semi-final runs in Madrid and Rome. But the Italian dropped his first set in Paris against world number 97 Navone.
Daily Tribune
2 days ago
- Daily Tribune
Al Najma dig deep to lift the trophy
TDT | Manama Al Najma dig deep to lift the trophy Second-half surge sees Al Najma crowned Khalid bin Hamad Handball League champions Hussain Almaskati TDT | Manama Al Najma clinched the K h a l i d b i n H a m a d Handball League title with a 25–19 win over Al Dair in an absorbing final yesterday, pulling away after a tense, evenly-matched first half. The two sides were locked at 10–10 at the break in front of a passionate crowd, but Al Najma's experience told in the second half as they found another gear. With their defence tightening and the goals flowing at the other end, they outscored AlDair 15–9 to seal the win and reclaim domestic bragging rights. AlSayyad leads the charge The difference came down to key moments—and key players. National team captain Husain AlSayyad was instrumental in Al Najma's second-half turnaround, bringing calm and composure when it mattered most. Alongside him, Mohammed Habib AlNasser was ruthless in front of goal, finding gaps in the Al Dair defence as the game opened up. Both players are part of Bahrain's preliminary squad for the 2025 World Handball Championship, and their performance here only underlines why they're likely to feature heavily when that tournament kicks off in January. For Al Najma, this win is nothing new. The Manama-based club has a long-standing reputation in Bahraini handball, regularly producing talent for the national side and contending for silverware. Their success this season cements their status at the top of the domestic game. It came just a day after Al Ahli wrapped up third place with a high-scoring 41–31 win over Barbar—another reminder of how competitive this season has been. Al Dair came out of the blocks with energy and belief, matching Al Najma blow for blow in the opening 30 minutes. But as the match wore on, the gulf in experience began to show. They struggled to keep pace with Najma's more seasoned players and ultimately ran out of answers in the final stretch. Their performance in the first half suggests there's more to come from this side in the seasons ahead.
