Milan experience

THE Bahrain national team gave Inter Milan a taste of what is in store in their       upcoming Serie A title        defence, coach Jose        Mourinho said after his side’s        narrow 1-0 victory.

The Italian champions had to work hard to win their last pre-season friendly, with Brazilian winger Mancini heading the winner in the second half of the match in Kapfenberg, Austria.

“We experienced a situation that will occur frequently at the San Siro - playing against opponents who line up 11 men behind the ball,” Mourinho said.

He was pleased with Patrick Vieira’s performance in the holding role in front of the defence.

The Bahrainis, training under Czech tactician Milan Macala, played their second game as part of their camp. They played Hungarian premier league club Lombard Papa TFC and lost 0-2.

They were set to face Austrian Bundesliga outfit SC Magna Wiener Neustadt in their third and final tune-up game in Kapfenberg as GulfWeekly went to press. They return to Bahrain today.

It was also Bahrain's last friendly before facing Saudi Arabia in a World Cup play-off. The Gulf sides meet first on September 5 in Manama, then four days later in Riyadh, with the winner moving on to play Oceania representatives New Zealand for a World Cup berth.