Bahrain’s national football team have asked FIFA to move their World Cup qualifier against Indonesia to neutral venue to “protect the safety” of the team. According to the Bahrain Football Association (BFA), the team received online death threats from Indonesian fans following a controversial 2-2 draw between the two teams last week. Last Thursday’s match saw tempers flare when Bahrain netted a 99th-minute equaliser against Indonesia, despite the fourth official only adding six extra minutes. The late goal ignited fierce protests from Indonesia’s players and coaching staff, with one staff member being sent off after clashing with officials. Indonesia’s football association later accused referee Ahmed Al Kaf of Oman of intentionally extending the match until Bahrain found the back of the net. In the days that followed, Indonesian football fans bombarded the Asian Football Confederation’s social media pages with a wave of online abuse. Indonesia’s manager fuelled the controversy, labelling Al Kaf as “biased” in Bahrain’s favour after the game. In response to the backlash, the Bahrain Football Association (BFA) took swift action, disabling comments on its social media platforms due to the surge in abusive messages. The BFA also reported several hacking attempts on its website, allegedly carried out […]