Bahrain break Saudi hearts

Bahrain set up a play-off final clash with New Zealand after they beat Saudi Arabia on away goals.

Bahrain snatch injury-time strike to win tie on away goals

Bahrain set up a play-off final clash with New Zealand after they beat Saudi Arabia on away goals over two legs after a frantic finish at King Fahd International Stadium. Following a 0-0 stalemate in the first leg in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia thought they had secured their place in South Africa with the team leading 2-1 going into the final minutes. However Bahrain were not to be denied when they struck a stoppage time equaliser and turned the game on its head. Substitute Ismail Abdullatif's dramatic injury-time strike secured the 2-2 draw that leaves them two matches away from World Cup qualification. The hosts took the lead in the 12th minute following a fine move that carved open the Bahrain defence. Yasser Al Qahtani played the ball for Mohammed Noor, whose first-time pass fell into the path of Al Shamrani and he shrugged off the attention of a defender to sweep home. Bahrain drew level five minutes before the break when Abdulla Omar broke inside the area and fed a pass across the face of goal where Jaycee John had the simple task of putting the ball into the net from close range. However, it appeared Saudi Arabia had done enough to snatch the win when in stoppage time Al Qahtani successfully kept the ball in play at the edge of the area, hooking a cross back into the area where Al-Montashari was on hand to power a header into the back of the net. But the home fans' hearts were broken soon after when Abdullatif headed home Salman Isa's corner to send Bahrain through.