Kuwait Club faces Al Riyadi test in WASL

Kuwait Club player goes for the basket during a game against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad.

BEIRUT, Sept. 27: Kuwait Club will face a major test against Lebanese powerhouse Al Riyadi at 8:45 p.m. today in Group A of the West Asia Super League (WASL) Final 8 in Beirut.

The tournament runs through Oct. 4, with Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad meeting India’s Railways at 5:45 p.m. in the other Group A game.

Kuwait Club got off to a winning start, defeating Al-Ittihad 105-97, while Al Riyadi beat Railways 104-81. The two teams sit level on two points at the top of the group.

The game will provide Kuwait Club with a stern test against one of the tournament’s leading contenders. The Kuwaiti champion will look to build on its opening-round performance and strengthen its bid for a semifinal place.

The victory over Al-Ittihad was closely contested, with the teams separated by only a narrow margin for long stretches. Kuwait Club, however, handled the pressure effectively and maintained its advantage to secure the win.

Group B includes Saudi Arabia’s AlUla, Qatar’s Al Arabi, Lebanon’s Sagesse, and Iran’s Gorgan. The top two teams in each group will advance to the semifinals.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff