Kuwait Club head coach Nebojša Jovović

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 26: Kuwait Club head coach, Montenegrin Nebojša Jovović, described the AFC Challenge League as a “significant competition,” emphasizing that his team’s mission is to “show character and compete for the championship.”

Speaking after Kuwait Club’s 3-2 victory over Lebanon’s Al-Ansar at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium in the opening round of Group B, Jovović said that Kuwait Club always aims to be among the contenders in every tournament. He expressed his hope that the team would maintain its strong form in the next two matches.

Kuwait Club’s goals were scored by Ahmed Al-Dhafiri (21’), Mohammed Daham (52’), and Yousef Nasser (53’). Al-Ansar’s goals came through Hisham Khalfallah (7’) and Mohammed Habbous (63’ penalty).

Jovović praised his players’ performance, noting that they successfully took control of the game after Al-Ansar’s lively start. He added that “the match was tough because both teams played openly, which created numerous scoring chances and made it exciting for the fans.”

He congratulated his players and the supporters for earning the first three points of the competition, expressing confidence that the team will continue performing at this level throughout the tournament.

Team striker Mohammed Daham highlighted the importance of the win, saying that earning the three points was a crucial step in the team’s journey. He also expressed gratitude for being named Man of the Match, calling it “a reflection of the team’s collective effort.”

Meanwhile, Al-Ansar’s Serbian coach Dragan Jovanović attributed his team’s defeat to “a few errors and the loss of key players to injury in the first half.”

He added that football “punished the team for missing several opportunities across both halves.”

In the other Group B fixture, Oman’s Al-Seeb edged Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings 3-2.

The second round will take place tomorrow, featuring Bashundhara Kings against Al-Ansar and Kuwait Club facing Al-Seeb.

Only the group winners from the West Zone, along with the best second-placed team among the three groups, will qualify for the quarterfinals.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff