Kazma seeks Gulf Champions League revival against Ajman

Kazma players in action.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 26: Kazma will look to revive their Gulf Club Champions League campaign when it hosts UAE side Ajman at 5:30 pm today at Al-Sadaqua Walsalam Stadium in the second round of Group C.

The group’s other fixture will see Iraq’s Erbil take on Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ettifaq.

The Orange suffered a 2-0 defeat to Al-Ettifaq in Dammam in its opening match, while Ajman began its campaign with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Erbil.

The top two teams from each of the three groups, along with the two best third-placed sides, will advance to the next stage.

Kazma is eager to make amends for its opening loss and collect a result that keeps its qualification hopes on track. Croatian coach Dragan Tadić will be aware that another setback could leave his side facing an uphill battle to reach the next round.

The Orange will rely on home advantage and fan support as they seek to maintain the momentum gained from their recent performances in the Zain Premier League. Their latest result was a 2-1 victory over Sulaibikhat last Friday, which lifted them to second place.

Ajman, however, poses a serious challenge after their convincing win over Erbil. The UAE outfit is seventh in their domestic league with nine points, five behind leaders Al-Jazira, and has quality throughout their squad.

The team is coached by Serbian Goran Tufegdžić, who previously managed Al-Shabab and Qadsia and guided Kuwait’s national team to the West Asian Championship and Gulf Cup 20 titles in 2010.

A Bahraini refereeing team will take charge of the match, with Ismail Al-Habib as referee, assisted by Abdullah Yaqoub and Hussein Mohammed. Mohammed Jamal will serve as fourth official, while Mohammed Ibrahim will oversee VAR, assisted by Qatar’s Saud Ahmed.

Meanwhile, Kuwait Club will wrap up its preparations in Tashkent ahead of tomorrow’s Group B encounter against Uzbekistan’s Nasaf Qarshi in the AFC Champions League Two.

All players participated in the latest training session as coach Firas Al-Khatib looks to steer the White toward a strong run in the competition and a challenge for the title.

Kuwait Club occupies second place in the group with three points, having beaten Bahrain’s Khalidiya 3-1 in the previous round. It opened its campaign with a 2-0 loss to the UAE’s Al-Wahda.

Al-Wahda tops the standings with six points, while Khalidiya and Nasaf have one point apiece.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff