Amir, Crown Prince and Prime Minister congratulate Kuwait Club on historic Challenge League triumph

Photo by Rizk Taufiq Kuwait Club players celebrate with the Challenge League cup after rallying to beat PKR Svay Rieng in the final.

KUWAIT, May 14 (KUNA): His Highness the Amir Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah sent a cable to Kuwait Club Chairman Khaled Al-Ghanem, congratulating him on the club’s AFC Challenge League triumph.

His Highness praised the achievement and the strong performance delivered by the Kuwait Club, wishing further success for Kuwaiti sports at both regional and international levels.

His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah also extended congratulations to Khaled Al-Ghanem on the club’s continental title, commending Kuwait Club’s impressive technical level and progress, and wishing continued sporting accomplishments for Kuwait.

Separately, His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Ahmad Abdullah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah congratulated the chairman on the team’s victory in the AFC Challenge League final.

President of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa congratulated Kuwait Club after the club captured the AFC Challenge League title for the first time.

In a statement issued, Sheikh Salman praised Kuwait Club’s achievement, describing it as a reflection of the club’s prominent standing in Asian football.

He said the continental success highlighted the team’s determination and fighting spirit, noting that the players' combined experience was backed by strong backing from its supporters throughout the campaign.

Kuwait Club secured the AFC Challenge League crown after a thrilling 4-3 victory over PKR Svay Rieng in the final at Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium.

The Cambodian side made a flying start, with Tiago Alves opening the scoring in the third minute before Ryo Fujii doubled the lead six minutes later in front of nearly 43,000 fans.

Kuwait Club responded strongly after the break, as Al-Mehdi Barrahma and Mohammad Marhoun struck in the 48th and 56th minutes to level the contest.

PKR Svay Rieng regained the lead deep into stoppage time, but Omar Abdelfattah equalized moments later to force extra time.

Yusuf Nasser then scored the decisive goal in the 110th minute to hand Kuwait Club a dramatic victory, and its first-ever AFC Challenge League trophy.

Kuwait’s Minister of State for Youth and Sports Affairs, Dr. Tareq Al-Jalahma, congratulated Kuwait SC on winning the AFC Challenge League title. 

In remarks to KUNA, Al-Jalahma described the achievement as a new milestone in Kuwait’s sporting history, praising the efforts of the club’s management, players, and technical staff throughout the continental campaign.

He said the triumph reflects the continued progress of Kuwaiti sports clubs and highlights the ability of the country’s youth to achieve success and raise Kuwait’s flag on regional and international stages.

Al-Jalahma affirmed the state’s commitment to supporting the sports movement and providing clubs and federations with the right environment to achieve further accomplishments.

He added that overseas successes serve as a major incentive to continue developing Kuwait’s sports system and improving the standard of domestic competitions.

The minister also stressed that the Kuwait Club’s performances during the tournament presented an honorable image of Kuwaiti sports at the continental level.