March 02, 2007	Friday	Safar 12, 1428

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

LAHORE, March 1: Bahrain taught a lesson to Pakistan registering an overwhelming 8-0 win in the main qualifying round of the Beijing Olympics football (U-21) in Manama.

The home team showed consistency in their play scoring four in each session at the National Stadium, Riffa, Manama.

Abdulla Al Dekheel and Abdulla Fatadi scored two goals each, while Ismail Abdullatif, Alaa Ayyad Faouzi Aaish and Jaycee John struck one each to give Bahrain the lead in this four-team group with three points.

Al Dekheel opened the scoring in the 20th minute with a superb strike from the right corner after he was set up by Fatadi.

Five minutes later Al Dekheel scored his second goal after receiving a long ball from Abdullatif, before firing into the roof of the net.

Pakistan's best chance came from Abdul Aziz whose 30-yard curling shot was cleared off the line by Bahrain's 21-year-old goalkeeper captain Sayed Mohammed Jaffer.

Bahrain, coached by Bosnia's Kreso Senad, made it 3-0 in the 34th minute when defender Alaa Ayyad headed in from close range after Fatadi's header came off the bar. Abdullatif got the fourth two minutes before half-time, netting the ball after he collected a cross from Aaish.

Pakistan, who reached this qualifying stage with a 5-3 aggregate win over Singapore two weeks ago, conceded a fifth goal in the 54th minute to Fatadi. It was 6-0 for the hosts 10 minutes later through substitute John. The Nigerian-born striker collected a cross from another substitute Sayed Ali Isa and chipped the ball over Mehmood.

Bahrain were awarded a penalty in the 85th minute after Pakistan defender Imran Niazi handled the ball inside the box. The kick was slotted in by Aaish to make it 7-0. Fatadi completed the rout in the last minute, scoring his second goal.