Live Action: Saudi Arabia v Bahrain (2026 World Cup Qualifiers)
Leaders-Mena magazine provided a live coverage of Tuesday’s game between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in the fourth round of the Asian 2026 World Cup qualifiers.
Fulltime :Saudi Arabia 0-0 Bahrain
Yellow cards:
Hamad Al Shamsan, Abdulla Al Khalassy, Amine Benadd, Ali Madan (Bahrain)
Ali Al Asmari (Saudi Arabia)
90+14′ Second half ends
90′ The fourth official announces 11 minutes of added time.
82′ Substitution for Bahrain: Abbas Al Asfoor replaces Komail Al Aswad.
82′ Substitution for Saudi Arabia: Musab Al Juwayr replaces Ali Al Asmari
79’ Abdullah Radif’s right-footed shot from the left side of the box is saved.
75′ With 15 minutes remaining, the game is still tied.
68′ Substitution for Bahrain: Vincent Ani Emmanuel replaces injured Hamad Al Shamsan.
62′ Double subs for Bahrain: Sayed Hashim Isa replaces Mahdi Abduljabbar; Mahdi Al Humaidan comes in for Ali Madan
61′ Double subs for Saudi Arabia: Nasser Al-Dawsari replaces Ayman Yahya; Abdullah Al Khaibari comes in for Abdulelah Al Malki
54′ Abdullah Radif’s right-footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom right corner.
53′ A corner for Saudi Arabia, conceded by Abdulla Al Khalassy.
53′ Marwan Al-Sahafi’s right-footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
51′ Ali Madan receives a yellow card for a bad foul.
48′ Ali Al Asmari’s left-footed shot from outside the box is too high.
46′ Second half begins
46′ Double subs for Saudi Arabia: Mohammed Marran replaces Rayan Hamed; Abdullah Radif comes in for Feras Al-Buraikan
45+10′ First Half ends.
45+10′ Abdulla Al Khalassy’s right-footed shot from outside the box is too high following a set-piece situation.
45+9′ Komail Al Aswad wins a free kick in the attacking half.
45+8′ Aiman Yahya’s right-footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
45+7′ Sayed Dhiya’s left-footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal.
45+7′ Abdulla Al Khalassy’s left-footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
45+6′ Abdulla Al Khalassy’s left-footed shot from outside the box is too high following a corner.
45+5’ Saudi Arabia players are continuously caught in the offside trap that the Bahraini national team deployed
45+2′ Bahrain’s Amine Benaddi receives a yellow card for a bad foul.
45’ The fourth official announces 9 minutes of added time.
41’ Salem Al-Dawsari’s right-footed shot from outside the box is too high.
36’ Delay in the match because of an injury for Bahrain’s Amine Benaddi.
33’ Hassan Kadesh converts Ali Lajami’s cross with a powerful header from the centre of the box but it is blocked.
30′ At the half-hour mark, the match remains scoreless. Saudi Arabia dominate with 71% possession, controlling the game’s tempo.
29′ Aiman Yahya is caught offside.
28′ Foul by Hassan Tambakti.
28′ Bahrain’s Mahdi Abduljabbar wins a free kick in the defensive half.
26′ Foul by Abdulelah Al-Malki.
26′ Ali Madan wins a free kick in the attacking half.
25′ Foul by Salem Al-Dawsari.
25′ Hamad Al-Shamsan wins a free kick in the attacking half.
23′ Ali Al-Asmari is shown the yellow card.
23′ Ali Al-Asmari wins a free kick in the defensive half.
23′ Foul by Ali Haram (Bahrain).
21′ Salem Al-Dawsari’s right-footed shot from outside the box misses to the left following a corner.
20′ Penalty saved. Salem Al-Dawsari’s right-footed shot is saved in the bottom right corner.
VAR Decision: Penalty Saudi Arabia.
14′ Corner, Saudi Arabia. Conceded by Abdulla Al Khalassy.
12′ Hamad Al Shamsan receives a yellow card for a bad foul.
12′ Hassan Kadesh wins a free kick in the defensive half.
12′ Foul by Hamad Al Shamsan
8′ Salem Al-Dawsari wins a free kick in the defensive half.
4′ Abdulelah Al Malki wins a free kick in the defensive half.
4′ Foul by Mahdi Abduljabbar
3′ Bahraini goalkeeper saves Feras Al-Buraikan’s left-footed shot from the centre of the box in the bottom left corner.
2′ Salem Al-Dawsari wins a free kick in the defensive half.
0′ First half begins
20:15 Players are warming up.
20:00 Lineups:
Saudi Arabia: Ahmed Al-Kassar; Rayan Hamed (Mohammed Marran 46), Hassan Al Tambakti, Ali Lajami, Hassan Kadesh; Abdulelah Al-Malki (Abdullah Al Khaibari 61), Ali Al-Asmari, (c) Salem Al-Dawsari; Ayman Yehia (Nasser Al-Dawsari 61), Firas Al-Buraikan (Abdullah Radif 46), Marwan Alsahafi
Bahrain: Ebrahim Lutfalla; Hamad Al-Shamsan, Amine Benaddi, Waleed Al-Hayam, Abdulla Al-Khalasi; Ali Madan (Mahdi Al Humaidan 62), Ali Haram, (c) Sayed Dhiya Saeed, Mohamed Jasim Marhoon; Mahdi Abduljabbar (Sayed Hashim Isa 62), Kamil Al-Aswad
19:00 Saudi Arabia aims for a win to strengthen their position in the group and qualify for the World Cup for the third consecutive time.
18:00 The Green Falcons will have to do without the services of Roma right-back Saud Abdulhamid due to suspension.
17:00 Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have faced off 17 times, with the Green Falcons claiming seven victories and Bahrain won six games, while four encounters ended in draws. Their most recent meeting resulted in a 1-0 defeat for Saudi Arabia in the 2019 Arabian Gulf Cup final.
16:00 Saudi Arabia enter the match third in Group C with four points, five behind leaders Japan, and trailing Australia on goal difference. Bahrain sit fourth, level on points with Saudi Arabia but behind on goal difference.
Probable Lineups
Saudi Arabia:
Goalkeeper: Ahmed Al-Kassar
Defender: Hassan Kadish, Ali Lajami, Hassan Tambakti, Ali Majrashi
Midfielders: Hamed Al-Ghamdi, Abdullah Al Khaibari, Faisal Al-Ghamdi, Salem Al-Dawsari
Strikers: Firas Al-Buraikan, Ayman Yahya
Venue: King Abdullah Sports City Stadium
Referee: Salman Falahi (Qatar)
Check the match preview HERE
Check out a tactical blueprint for Saudi Arabia to overcome Bahrain HERE
