Bader Al-Mutawa is congratulated by teammates at the end of the game.

ISTANBUL, Aug 13: Qadsia secured a 2-2 draw against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Faisaly in its second friendly of the Turkish training camp, with Bader Al-Mutawa netting both goals for the team.

Qadsia’s Libyan professional, Mohamed Soula, received a red card, but Al-Faisaly’s coaching staff requested that Coach Nabil Maaloul allow a substitute to maintain 11 players on the field. Al-Mutawa returned, scored two goals, and was substituted again after his contributions.

Maaloul rotated his squad each half to give more players match experience. Qadsia is set to play a third preparatory match against the UAE’s Al-Emarat on August 19, with two more friendlies planned before the camp concludes on August 29. Qadsia lost its first friendly 0-1 to Saudi Arabia’s Al-Okhdood.

Meanwhile, Libyan Hamdou Elhouni, linked to a potential move to Qadsia, did not comment on his next destination after helping Al-Ahly Tripoli secure the league title. Elhouni expressed his gratitude to his club’s board, teammates, technical and medical staff, and fans following the championship.

Al-Arabi returned from the Maldives after defeating Maziya Sports 4-0 in the AFC Challenge League playoff, booking its spot in the group stage along with Kuwait Club. They await the group stage draw on August 28, with the tournament starting in October.

The team will depart for a 10-day training camp in Dubai next Monday, which will include two friendly matches as preparation for the Zain Premier League, kicking off on September 12 against Al-Shabab.

Portuguese coach Marco Alves praised his team’s strategy, saying, “High pressing and scoring early allowed us to control the game better against Maziya. The team deserved the win, and we dedicate it to Al-Arabi fans.”

Kuwait Club’s deputy head of football, Adel Aqla, highlighted the benefits of its 0-2 loss to Czech side Dukla Prague during its training camp.

“The team benefited greatly from this match. We used two different lineups across the halves. My only concern is the injury to Yousef Nasser,” Aqla said.

He added, “I don’t want to play a team and win by 4 or 5 goals; I need matches that expose our mistakes so we can improve.”

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff