THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 18, 2021 12 Bahrain to kick off training for 2021 matches Head coach Helio Sousa names 33-strong squad for the national team’s first training sessions of the year, to kick off on Saturday

fixture will likely take place Abdulla Alhazza, Hamad Al Dos- Twelve internationals along with Bahrain’s two other sary, Mohamed Alhardan and • remaining qualifiers in a central- Mohammed Al Rumaihi from named from Riffa, ised venue. As reported earlier East Riffa; Ahmed Bughammar, while others are from by TDT and confirmed yesterday Ahmed Mirza and Mohammed Manama, Muharraq, by the official, Bahrain is one of KNOW WHAT Abdulwahab from defending East Riffa, Hidd, Al the locations being considered league champions Hidd; Abdul- for the matches. Iran and Iraq’s la Alkaabi, Abdulrahman Yusuf Najma and Alkhaldiya Basra City are the others in con- and Rashed Alhooti from Al Na- tention. Bahrain are currently jma; and Ebrahim Lutfallah from Iran, Iraq (Basra City) hoping to secure Alkhaldiya. join• Bahrain as potential Roster their qualification Bahrain are in Group C of the centralised venue in Sousa’s list of players for their for the FIFA World current joint-qualifiers along- June for remaining local training include 12 from Cup 2022 and AFC side Iraq, Iran, Hong Kong and current league leaders Riffa, Asian Cup 2023. Cambodia. They have three joint-qualifying matches namely Ahmed Abdulla, Ali Har- games to play, including that am, , Hamad Shamsan, They are in Group C against the Cambodians, as well Bahrain head coach Helio Sousa is all set to kick off the national team’s local Sayed Hashim Isa, Hazza Ali, in the present stage as against Iran and Hong Kong. TDT | Manama training programme Jassim Al Shaikh, Mahdi Hu- of qualifying, and There are eight groups in all ahrain head coach Helio will be the first gathering of the side Alkhaldiya. maidan, Mohamed Marhoon, are ranked second in this round of qualifiers, with Sousa named yesterday a national team in 2021. Their last Bahrain were supposed to take Sayed Redha Isa, Sayed Mahdi behind leaders Iraq, five nations in each group. At Bsquad of 33 players who training sessions took place in an to the pitch next month against Baqer and Sayer Shubar Alawi. while being ahead of the end, the eight group winners will participate in senior men’s overseas camp last November Cambodia in one of their re - There are also five players Iran, Hong Kong and and the four best runners-up national team training later this in Dubai, where they played a maining joint-qualifying match- each from Manama and Mu- advance to the third round of month. number of international friendly es for the FIFA World Cup 2022 harraq. The Manama players Cambodia World Cup qualifying, and also The sessions will be held local- matches. and AFC Asian Cup 2023, but are Ahmed Nabeel, Ammar Mo- secure their berths in the Asian ly between February 20 and 27 The players selected are from that game has been postponed hamed, Issa Moosa, Mahdi Ab- Abdulwahab Al Malood, Ismaeel Cup. The next best 24 teams will as part of the Bahrainis’ prepa- six clubs in the Nasser bin Ham- to June, according to a national duljabbar and Mohamed Adel; Abdullatif, Waleed Al Hayam, compete in a separate competi- rations for their international ad Bahrain Premier Football team official. while the Muharraq players in- and Sayed Mohammed Jaafar. tion for the remaining 12 slots in fixtures in the coming months. It League and from second division The official added that that clude Abdulrahman Alahmadi, The rest of the squad features the Asian Cup. Eight Bahrain horses to Muharraq book return compete in The Saudi Cup to volleyball league finals

Defending champions• set up exciting title-clash with Al Ahli, in a series featuring the league’s top two clubs this season

TDT | Manama

uharraq barged into the Mfinals of the 2020/2021 Isa bin Rashid Bahrain First REHC executive director Shaikh Division Volleyball League A horse competes during a race (file photo) Salman bin Rashed Al Khalifa last night with a resounding 3-1 (25-16, 25-23, 23-25, 25-15) TDT | Manama Top horses from all over the victory over Al Najma in their Muharraq players go for a double block in their win against Al Najma last night world are competing in the semi-final clash at the Bahrain ight horses from Bahrain meeting. The participation of Volleyball Association arena at tied at 23-apiece, a Najma error Ewill be taking part this Rashied Equestrian and Isa Sports City in Riffa. gave Muharraq the chance to weekend in The Saudi Cup. Horseracing Club executive Bahraini horses is The defending champions close it out for the 2-0 match The event is the world’s most director Shaikh Salman bin a testament to the headed into yesterday’s contest advantage, and the reigning valuable horserace with prize Rashed Al Khalifa stressed the huge development with a twice-to-beat advantage champions took full advantage money amounting to $20mil- importance of the event. “The seen in the sport over having topped the standings in KNOW WHAT as towering Cameroonian pro- lion. It is set to be held at King participation of Bahraini horses recent years, and the the league’s preliminary round. fessional Yvan Arthur Kody Abdulaziz Racecourse in Ri- is a testament to the huge devel- good reputation of But they eventually proved that Bitjaa had a brilliant solo block. yadh on Friday and Saturday. opment seen in the sport over it wasn’t needed as they took Najma battled back in the On Friday, three horses will recent years, and the good rep- the Kingdom on the care of their rivals in convinc- Muharraq will now third set but Muharraq kept be in action in the Saudi Inter- utation of the Kingdom on the international arena ing fashion to book their return be gunning for back- things close. They managed to national Handicap race over international arena,” he said. SHAIKH SALMAN BIN RASHED AL KHALIFA to the championship series. to-back titles and a do enough to take the two-point 2,100metres of turf. They in- There they will face Al Ahli record 15th in the win and extend the match into a clude What A Welcome, Desert in a best-of-three series. Game history of the league. fourth frame, but their hopes of Lion and Rayounpour. one is scheduled to be held on Ahli, on the other a comeback were immediately Meanwhile, on Saturday, February 25, followed by game dashed as Muharraq dominated Global Giant along with last two on March 1. A third fix - hand, will be hoping from there until the last ball. year’s Bahrain International ture, if needed, will be played to claim their third Muharraq had timely contri- Trophy winner Simsir will on March 5. crown. Their last butions from their top Bahrain be competing in The Sau - Ahli secured their seats in the championship was in talents including Fadhel Ab- di Cup over a 1,800m dirt finals after beating Dar Kulaib the 2017/2018 season bas, Mahmood Al Afia, Hussain track. in two games in their final four Haikki, Ali Khairallah, Bader On the same day, Roman Riv- series, which was held in best- Mohammed and Mohammed er will fly the Kingdom’s flag in of-three format. Losing semi-finalists Najma Habib, among others. The Saudia Riyadh Dirt Sprint Muharraq will now be gun- and Dar Kulaib will be facing Najma were spearheaded in over 1,200m; while New Show ning for back-to-back titles off in a single game to decide the contest by Brazilian import will compete in The Red Sea and a record 15th in the his - third place overall. This is slat- Lailson Costa, who was sup- Turf Handicap over 3,000m. tory of the league. Ahli, on the ed for February 28. ported by local talents Ahmed Dark Power rounds up the other hand, will be hoping to In yesterday’s affair, Muhar- Mushraf, Hassan Jaffar, Ahmed Bahraini horses in the fray in claim their third crown. Their raq got off to a hot start and Sadeq, Ali Abdulnabi, Ahmed The 1351 Turn Sprint, also on last championship was in the took the first set comfortably. Isaand Hussain Matrook, to Saturday. A horse competes during a race (file photo) 2017/2018 season. In the second, with the score name a few.

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