Al-Kuwait takes on Al-Wahdat in critical match for semifinal berth

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AMMAN, Dec 10: Kuwait is set to embrace the spirit of triumph as it faces Jordanian side Al-Wahdat at the Amman International Stadium at 7:00 pm. This encounter marks the culmination of the second group stage in the AFC Cup competition.

Currently standing at third place with 6 points, Kuwait faces tough competition from Al-Wahdat in second place with 9 points, and the leading Iraqi team Al-Kahraba with 10 points. Meanwhile, Syria’s Ahli Aleppo has bowed out of the competition with only two points.

Following the AFC’s approval of Jabal Al-Mukaber’s withdrawal from the first group stage, results from the fourth-placed teams in the second and third groups will be nullified. Consequently, Kuwait stands to lose two points (from two draws against Al-Ahly Aleppo), and Al-Wahdat faces a deduction of 6 points, having triumphed over the Syrian team twice. Al-Kahraba is set to lose three points pending the outcome of their match against Al-Ahly Aleppo in the final round.

Under this scenario, Al-Kahraba would maintain its lead with 7 points, while Kuwait and Al-Wahdat would share 4 points each. This positions “Al-Abyad” to secure a spot in the West Asia region semi-finals by clinching a victory as the second-best team.

Turning to the upcoming match, “Al-Abyad” has regained its momentum, securing victory in the Zain Premier League. In the ninth and final round of the first division, they defeated Al-Nassr 2-1 under the guidance of Tunisian coach Nabil Maaloul. This marked a recovery from their previous heavy defeat against Al-Arabi (0-3) in the eighth round.

Despite facing the absence of key players such as Tunisian Yassine Amri, who is sidelined due to a leg muscle tear, and the injured trio of Youssef Nasser, Ibrahim Kamil, and goalkeeper Dhari Al-Otaibi, Maaloul remains confident. The team boasts skilled players, including Tunisian Yassin Al-Khanisi, Faisal Zayed, Muhammad Dahham, Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Ali Hussein, Bahraini Muhammad Al-Marhoun, Reda Hani, Fahd Al-Hajri, and Sami Al-Sanea, who can replicate their previous victory against Al-Wahdat (2-1) in the first leg.

Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff

This news has been read 961 times!