Kuwait Club one win away from last-16 berth

Kuwait Club players intensify training for the showdown.

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 3: Kuwait Club will be aiming to secure its place in the AFC Champions League Two Round of 16 when it hosts Uzbekistan’s Nasaf Qarshi at 7:00 pm today at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium in the fourth round of Group A. In the other group fixture, UAE’s Al-Wahda takes on Bahrain’s Khalidiya at Al-Nahyan Stadium in Abu Dhabi at 8:00 pm.

The Whites occupy second place with six points, three behind leader Al-Wahda, who has won all three matches. Khalidiya and Nasaf Qarshi have one point apiece.

Victory on Wednesday would guarantee qualification for both Kuwait Club and Al-Wahda.

Kuwait Club is determined to build on its strong group campaign, claim a third consecutive victory, and strengthen its bid for the title. The team earned its place in the competition after winning last season’s AFC Challenge League.

The Whites began with a 3-2 away defeat against Al-Wahda but quickly recovered, beating Khalidiya 3-1 at home before recording a valuable 1-0 victory over Nasaf Qarshi in Tashkent.

Coach Firas Al-Khatib and his players know that anything less than three points would postpone their qualification bid until the next round and increase the pressure ahead of their remaining fixtures. Kuwait Club will host Al-Wahda in the fifth round before travelling to face Khalidiya in the final group match.

Al-Khatib will be counting on his players’ growing confidence, particularly after their impressive domestic form. Kuwait Club currently leads the Zain Premier League with 16 points, two clear of its nearest challengers.

The Syrian coach has several quality options across the pitch, including Ahmad Al-Dhafiri, Yousef Nasser, Redha Hani, Mohammed Daham, Ali Hussein, Saud Al-Houshan, Abdullah Al-Qurazi, Sami Al-Sanea, Faisal Zayed and Amr Abdel Fattah.

The squad also features foreign professionals Yassine Khenissi of Tunisia, Bahrain’s Mohammed Marhoon, Congolese Arsene “Malik” Zola, and Cameroonian Omar Gonzalez. However, Moroccan midfielder Mehdi Berrahma will miss the encounter due to suspension after accumulating yellow cards.

Nasaf Qarshi, meanwhile, has little room for error. With only one point from its first three matches, the Uzbek side must win to keep its hopes of reaching the knockout stage alive.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff