Bahrain needed to win at least 1-0 to qualify for the finals to be held in New Zealand from November 10 to 27, but the home side who were expected to be able to score atleast once, put up an insipid performance in front of a sparse crowd.
Coach Mubarak Johar surprised everyone by playing five defenders in the starting line-up: Sari Faraj, Sultan Mahboob, Hussain Baba, Abdul Aziz Sa'ad and Adel Abbas were all picked and looked as if Bahrain's approach was to be an overly defensive one. With only Ala'a Hebail as the lone man up front it was not surprising that the Bahrain juniors lost the initiative to the sharper and faster Australians. The visitors pressed early and play was mostly confined to the Bahrain half.
Chance
But ten minutes into the game Bahrain got their first chance. Hussain Sulman, who scored in the away leg at Canberra, was brought down just outside the area. But Hussain Ali couldn't beat the wall from the free-kick.
Another chance came Bahrain's way in the 19th minute, when the captain Adel Al Naemi passed a number of players and reached the penalty area, but his shot went out off the legs of goalkeeper Van Stratten.
The Australians who suffered from the extreme weather far more than the home side, got the all-important goal through Joseph Di Iorio, who beat Faraj down the right flank and then chipped over an advancing Ali.
Bahrain made two more changes in the second half, pulling out Adel Abbas and Adel Al Naemi for Isa Mohammed and Mohammed Sanad. But even this didn't spur on the home side who wasted a number of chances. That and a stand-out performance by Australian keeper Van Stratten made sure that the scoreline remained unchanged.