Final score: All Whites 1 (Kirwan '89) Bahrain 0
******** Live coverage has concluded ********
Fulltime - That's it and back-to-back wins for the All Whites. How good!
90+4mins - Stamenic with a chance from distance but it's straight at the keeper.
90+3mins - Corner for Bahrain... Al Eswad with the delivery and Woud comes and claims superbly.
90+1mins - Garbett on for the All Whites - Eli Just jogs off. Good shift from the young Kiwi.
90mins - Five minutes of added-on time to come.
89mins - GOAL New Zealand: Nico Kirwan - Finally the Kiwis break the deadlock. Wood down the left lays off to Cacace who's cross is pinpoint and fines Kirwan free at the back post and he heads home for the lead.
88mins - This time the delivery isn't as good and the ball is cleared.
86mins - Lovely play from Cacace and Wood leads to a corner for New Zealand. Bell with the cross and Smith climbs high but the ball is deflected over the bar for a corner.
85mins - Game has really slowed down with Bahrain players going down at will. All Whites with most of the ball, but the counter-attack threat is still there. Should be plenty of injury time.
82mins - De Jong on for New Zealand, McCowatt off.
77mins - Well defended and the ball is cleared.
76mins - Corner for Bahrain as Cacace deflects a cross out behind the goal.
73mins - Kirwan and Smith on for Kalua and the impressive Champness.
71mins - A slip on defence opens up a chance for the All Whites as Wood glides into the box - he looks to slide this one into the bottom corner but it's deflected - Champness gets a touch but the keeper saves to his right.
69mins - Another attack from Bahrain and Mahroon is central to it - he has a ping from outside the box but Woud saves.
68mins - Mahroon into the action straight away as his run is picked up by Hasan a- slightly behind him and he bicycle kicks well over the bar.
67mins - A couple changes for Bahrain, including the introduction of Mahroon who is their star player.
65mins - Bell's corner is defended clear.
63mins - Corner for the All Whites as a cross from Cacace is deflected out behind the goal.
61mins - Lovely buildup play form New Zealand between McCowatt and Just and McCowatt with a low cross into the box and Champness back heels the ball - it's on target but straight at the keeper. Champness is all class.
60mins - Champness with the header at the back post but straight at the keeper.
59mins - Corner for the All Whites as a header back to the keeper is off the mark.
57mins - Pace has slowed a bit as the heat takes hits toll on the players. Bahran with plenty of the ball at the moment and Hasan has a crack from 20 metres but it's straight at Woud who saves with ease.
52mins - Free kick for the All Whites 30 metres out but Bell can't beat the first defender and the ball is cleared.
48mins - Wood takes the free kick and beats the wall but not the keeper who punches clear.
47mins - Champness looks like Ronaldo at the moment .. he skins tow defenders then his stepover earns a free kick on the edge of the box.
46mins - Boxall climbs high in the box and heads towards goal but he is ruled to have pushed his marker.
Second-half - Back underway and the All Whites win a corner with their first movement.
***********************
Halftime - All Whites 0 Bahrain 0: New Zealand bossed that 45 minutes with two or three clear chances. Given the humidty, it'll be interesting to see if the lads wilt in the second spell.
45+1mins - The All Whites do well in defending a corner as the half comes to an end.
45mins - Two minutes of added-on time to be played.
41mins - Champness skins two defenders and glides into the box - he shoots but that is well saved - the ball bounces around inside the area, but the All Whites can't get a shot away. Champness the standout so far.
39mins - McCowatt with a jinking run inside from out 20 metres from goal and he has a crack but that is low and wide to the keeper's right.
37mins - Bell swings a ball in for Wood, but he is surrounded by defenders and the ball is headed clear with ease.
35mins - Another long shot from Hasan finds Woud who saves with ease.
33mins - Hasan with a well-weighted cross and Youseff beats the offside trap but heads over from 8 yards.
30mins - Great chance for New Zealand. The keeper looks to clear and hits the ball straight at McCowatt. McCowatt collects the ball back and decides against the shot - lays the ball off to Just who gives it back and McCowatt fires low and wide. Missed opportunity.
25mins - More possession for Bahrain now, but New Zealand looking the better of the two sides - just lacking that bit of quality in the final third on attack.
23mins - Another shot from distance from Bahrain comes to nothing as Woud watches the ball fly over his head.
20mins - Possession for Bahrain as Youseff collects the ball midwat halfway and goal - he gets to the 18-yard and shoots low at Woud who saves easily.
19mins - Great corner comes flying in but that is well defended clear by the defence.
18mins - Great ball comes into the box but it beats everyone and bounces past Woud and out for a goal kick.. Down the other end come the All Whites....Stamenic has a crack from distance and it deflects out for a corner.
17mins - Free kick for Bahrain this time as Champness brings an attack to an end with a block.
15mins - McCowatt on the edge of the box looks to cross but the ball is deflected out to Just who has a crack but that's is well over the bar.
13mins - Champness on the ball again - multiple stepovers - he beats the defender inside the box and fires in a low cross but the keeper claims it in front of Wood.
11mins - Just on the ball, but his delivery is poor and that's headed to safety. Champness wins another free kick - slightly more wide this time. Better from Bell this time and Pijnaker gets to it but the angle is tough and that is out for a goal kick.
10mins - Champness wins a free kick on the edge of the box after a nice weaving run.
9mins - Ball comes bouncing into the All Whites' box - Pijnaker heads out into touch as Woud came to collect.
8mins - Ball being played around by the All Whites - home side happy to play without possession. Plenty of touches for Joe Bell.
5mins - Youseff - Bahrain striker - leaps high as a ball comes flying in but hos header is easily grasped by Woud. All Whites counter quickly and Just makes a run into the box - ball comes out to Wood who fires at the keeper but the ball is deflected out for a corner.
3mins - Plenty of early possession for New Zealand. Bahrain happy to sit back at this point, but they are looking to attack quickly when they get the ball.
1min - Woud gets his first touch as a through ball has too much on it. Bahrain sitting back as the All Whites move the ball foward - but once they cross halfway, they look to press.
Kick-off - Bahrain to have possession first in front of a sparse crowd.
************************
5:00am - Players are out for the national anthems and then we will be underway.
4:51am - Bahrain beat Curacao 4-0 two days before the All Whites played them - and this is their 10th game this year, so they are match hardened.
4:48am - All Whites XI (4-3-3): Michael Woud, Liberato Cacace, Kelvin Kalua, Michael Boxall, Nando Pijnaka, Joe Bell, Elijah Just, Marko Stamenic, Callum McCowatt, Joe Campness, Chris Wood
4:46am - No Sarpreet Singh for the All Whites this morning who has gone back to Germany, while Bill Tuiloma has picked up an injury.
4:44am - Good morning folks - 15 minutes or so away from kick-off. Boy does this bring back memories of 2009.
Kia ora and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of the international football friendly between the All Whites and Bahrain at Manama.
The last time these two sides met made for a milestone evening for NZ football, as Rory Fallon headed home for a 1-0 win at Wellington to secure qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.
While the stakes are significantly lower this time around, the fixture is still another chance for the All Whites to continue building towards their bid for qualification in Qatar next year, after their encouraging win over Curacao on Sunday (NZ time).
But the hosts are in strong form, beating Curacao 4-0 last week, and the All Whites will be without one of their most influential players, with Sarpreet Singh returning to German club Jahn Regensburg.
We'll have all the live action from 5am Wednesday.
