Latest news with #DraganTalajic
Daily Tribune
4 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Set for Qatar Test Ahead of Arab Cup Push
TDT | Manama Talajic's new-look squad meets Qatar as Arab Cup prep begins Bahrain's senior men's national football team will travel to Doha next month for a friendly against regional rivals Qatar, the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) confirmed on Wednesday. The match is set for September 3 at Al Thumama Stadium, with kick-off at 6:15pm Bahrain time. It serves as a key part of Bahrain's build-up to the FIFA Arab Cup 2025, which will also take place in Qatar this December. Qatar, ranked 53rd globally and fifth in Asia, are preparing for both the Arab Cup and the AFC fourth-round qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, starting in October. The friendly allows both teams to test tactical setups and assess squad depth. A second friendly is also being arranged, with Bahrain possibly facing the UAE on September 8 in Dubai. Talks are ongoing. The Emiratis, 65th in the world and 10th in Asia, are also prepping for the Arab Cup and World Cup qualifying. Bahrain, ranked 89th globally and 12th in Asia, recently held a training camp in Maribor, Slovenia, led by head coach Dragan Talajic. The camp included three friendlies: a 2-1 win over NK Primorje Ajdovščina, a 3-1 victory against NK Šobec Lesce, and a 1-3 loss to Croatian top-flight side NK Istra 1961. Talajic used the camp to introduce new talent. The 28-man squad excluded veterans Ismaeel Abdullatif, Ali Haram, Mohammed Al Rumaihi, and retired goalkeeper Sayed Mohammed Jaafar, the country's most-capped player. Key midfielder Mohammed Jassim Marhoon missed out due to club duties, while rising star Sayed Ahmed Al Wadaie remained with Bahrain's U23 Olympic team. Newer call-ups included Abdulla Al Subaie, Hussain Jameel, Omar Saber, Ahmed Dhiya, and goalkeepers Yousef Habib and Mohammed Al Gharabli, most of whom are uncapped. Before the Arab Cup, Bahrain must win a qualifying playoff in November against Djibouti to enter the group stage. A win places them in Group D with Algeria, Iraq, and the Lebanon–Sudan qualifier winner.
Daily Tribune
01-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain name 28-man squad for Slovenia camp
Bahrain have announced a 28-man squad for their upcoming training camp in Slovenia, set to run from July 10 to July 24. Bahrain are coming off a disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign where they finished bottom of their group. The camp will include multiple training sessions and friendly fixtures as Bahrain gear up for upcoming challenges under the direction of head coach Dragan Talajic. That includes building towards the FIFA Arab Cup, which takes place from December 1–18 in Qatar, across six FIFA World Cup venues. Mohamed Marhoon will miss the camp after finalising a move to Kuwait SC, signing a threeyear deal with the Kuwaiti Premier League club.
Daily Tribune
10-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Final flourish, familiar fight
TDT | Manama As the curtain draws on their FIFA World Cup 2026 qualifying journey, Bahrain's national team take to the pitch today against China. Having already been mathematically eliminated from contention for North America, Dragan Talajic's side are playing for pride and for a measure of momentum heading into future cycles. Nothing to Play For, Everything to Prove The match at Chongqing Longxing Football Stadium, scheduled for 2:00 PM, carries no qualification weight for either side. Bahrain and China sit level on six points in Group C, with the former holding a superior goal difference. While progression is off the table, the fixture offers both nations a chance to end their campaign with a statement, and perhaps a degree of redemption after a tough qualifying stretch. Bahrain's most recent outing, a 2-0 loss at home to Saudi Arabia, confirmed their exit. Talajic's men showed flashes of potential, but a lack of cutting edge in the final third once again proved decisive. Now, the focus turns to a cleaner performance in Chongqing, where conditions and atmosphere will favour the hosts.
Al Arabiya
02-06-2025
- General
- Al Arabiya
Exclusive Bahrain coach Dragan Talajic eyes Saudi Arabia upset and dreams of World Cup
When Bahrain faces Saudi Arabia in a crunch 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday, it is aiming to do more than just end its neighbors hopes of an automatic spot at the tournament. Bahrain has twice suffered heartache at the final hurdle in its bid to play in a maiden FIFA World Cup – losing intercontinental play-offs to Trinidad and Tobago in 2006 and New Zealand in 2010; now, current coach Dragan Talajic is determined to make history for the Gulf nation. On paper, Thursday's clash with Bahrain should be straightforward for Herve Renard's side. Saudi Arabia is a three-time Asian champion with a domestic league that is now watched all over the world – containing some of the planet's finest players. In this season's AFC Champions League Elite, the Kingdom provided both the winner in Al Ahli and the competition's top scorer in Salem al-Dawsari. 'Al-Dawsari is unbelievably talented,' Bahrain coach Talajic told Al Arabiya English in an exclusive interview. 'He is a strong player, a beautiful attacking player who has been in great form in the Saudi Pro League. 'But we cannot concentrate only on Salem al-Dawsari. Saudi Arabia has very good players, a very good coach and of course a lot of respect from me. But we know what we will try to do to stop al-Dawsari; we have to play like a team to try to control space. Football is a game of 11 against 11.' Despite the apparent disparity between the two nations on the pitch, Bahrain has only lost one of its past six matches against the Green Falcons – a record that stretches back to 2014. Talajic's team held Saudi Arabia to a 0-0 draw in Jeddah last October and then went a step further in December by claiming a 3-2 victory in the group stage of the Arabian Gulf Cup – a tournament that Bahrain went on to win. The 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw was a particularly special moment for Talajic as it represented a return to Jeddah, a city in which he is fondly remembered. In 2004, the Croatian coach led Al Ittihad to its first ever AFC Champions League title as Talajic and his players overturned a 3-1 first leg defeat to Seongnam Ilhwa Chunma – winning 5-0 in South Korea to lift the trophy in spectacular style. 'These are unbelievable memories,' Talajic said of the 2004 final. 'This was a long time ago but really was the start of my journey winning trophies in my career. I am so proud of what we achieved at Al Ittihad. 'Back then I was young and just at the start of my coaching career but we managed to have this incredible result – the 5-0 win, which is still a record [AFC Champions League final score]. I still have a close relationship with Al Ittihad and I am happy to see the team performing well again this year with Benzema.' The AFC Champions League was Talajic's first piece of silverware, but certainly not his last. The 59-year-old has spent much of the past two decades in the Gulf, winning trophies at Al Wahdat in Jordan, and Al Kuwait and Al Khalidya in Bahrain. Most recently, he led the Bahrain national team to only its second Arabian Gulf Cup triumph. 'We went there as underdog because I think this was maybe the strongest ever Gulf Cup; seven of the eight countries are playing in the last round of qualification for the World Cup and all of them had full teams. 'I don't think anybody else thought we would win but I certainly believed we could do it and I'm really proud about what my boys did in this tournament.' On its way to victory, Bahrain beat Saudi Arabia 3-2 in the group stage – a result that fills Talajic with confidence ahead of this week's World Cup qualifying encounter. 'I think we took Saudi Arabia by surprise then and we will also prepare for this next game in a good way,' Talajic explained. 'The confidence is increasing a lot among the players – not just because of the Gulf Cup but this World Cup qualification too. 'You can see that they are trusting themselves more because we are performing well against these big teams like Japan, Saudi Arabia and Australia. A big credit goes to my staff too – I want to thank them because every success we have now is down to them. Of course I make the final decisions but without the whole team, we will do nothing.' Bahrain is currently fifth in Group C, three points behind fourth-placed Indonesia. The teams that finish third and fourth will progress to the Fourth Round of qualifying and while Talajic knows it will not be easy, he insists his players are capable of moving a step closer to a first FIFA World Cup. 'We are in a more difficult situation but our future is in our hands,' Talajic said. 'If we win these next two games against Saudi Arabia and China, we have qualified for the next round. We have our dream and we are in this together. 'We will do our job, do our best and I believe in my boys. I also believe in all the support of Bahraini people and I think we have a beautiful chance to reach the World Cup with Bahrain.'
Daily Tribune
19-03-2025
- Sport
- Daily Tribune
Bahrain Take on Japan Today at Saitama Stadium 2002
Bahrain's footballers head to Saitama Stadium today with a shot at derailing Japan's World Cup qualification party. Hajime Moriyasu's side can become the first team to book their spot at the 2026 finals with a win, but Dragan Talajic's men, riding high after picking up the Gulf Cup, are determined to upset the script and keep their own hopes alive in Group C. Japan's Juggernaut Looms Japan have been dominant in the AFC qualifiers, collecting 16 points from six games with 22 goals scored. Their only dropped points came in a draw with Australia. A win today guarantees a top-two finish in Group C, securing their place alongside hosts USA, Canada, and Mexico at the finals. Japan have lost just twice in their last 28 home qualifiers, and Bahrain have felt the pressure with four straight defeats, including a crushing 5-0 loss in Riffa last September. "It's about playing to our strengths and securing the win," Moriyasu said last week. His squad is packed with talent, including Kaoru Mitoma and Takefusa Kubo. With 22 wins in their last 25 international matches, Japan's form is imposing, but Bahrain still have hope. Bahrain's Moment of Magic? Talajic's side are not just here to make up the numbers. Sitting fifth in the group with seven points, they are just one point behind Australia in second and level with Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, and China. Their single win in six qualifiers does not tell the full story. They have won four of their last five matches across all competitions, including a 2-1 Gulf Cup comeback against Oman. Mohamed Marhoon, the hero of that final, will lead the attack, supported by a defence that has kept six clean sheets in seven away qualifiers. "Every match is a final, we've got belief", Mahdi Humaidan told The Daily Tribune. Japan have not conceded more than a goal at home since 2016, making Bahrain's challenge a difficult one, but not impossible. Key Men in the Mix Bahrain's hopes rest on Marhoon's creativity in attack, with Waleed Al-Hayam and Amine Benadi holding firm at the back. Abdulla Al-Khalasi's pace could stretch Japan's defence. On the other side, Mitoma's speed, Kubo's vision, and Ayase Ueda's goal-scoring ability, now back from injury, pose a serious threat. The return of Hiroki Ito strengthens Japan's defence. This is a battle between Bahrain's resilience and Japan's firepower, where one moment could change everything. Group C's Crunch Time Beyond Japan's lead, the group remains tightly contested. Australia take on Indonesia in Patrick Kluivert's coaching debut, while Saudi Arabia host China in another crucial match. Bahrain know that securing a result today keeps them in the mix, but Saitama is a tough place to earn points. Japan have netted 46 goals in the last two rounds, while Bahrain have managed just seven in this stage. With four games left, a surprise result today could reshape the race for qualification. The Big Call Japan, who stunned Germany and Spain in the 2022 World Cup, enter as clear favourites. Bahrain enter the match with confidence, knowing that football is full of surprises. A strong performance could turn the tide, keeping their World Cup dreams alive; a draw would make a strong statement, but a win would be a huge boost to their qualification hopes. Saitama awaits, and time will tell if Bahrain can rise to the occasion.
