Despite that, team administrator Ahmed Salah Malalla Abdulla expressed optimism about Bahrain’s chances.

“The draw was good and we didn’t expect anything else. I hope we can qualify for the FIFA World Cup,” said Abdulla. 

“The target is to carry our good form from the second round into the third round and we will try to achieve direct qualification.”

While Japan, Australia and Saudi Arabia are perennial FIFA World Cup qualifiers, China PR’s only appearance was in 2002 while Indonesia, then known as the Dutch East Indies, featured in the 1938 edition. 

The closest Bahrain have come to qualifying was in 2006 and 2010, with their hopes dashed in the playoffs by Trinidad & Tobago and New Zealand respectively.

Head coach Dragan Talajic’s side, however, have been boosted by impressive campaigns in the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2023™ and the second round of the AFC Asian Qualifiers - where Bahrain finished second behind the United Arab Emirates in Group H - and they be determined to carry that momentum into the third round.