SAUDI ARABIA, Oct 23: Al-Kuwait are geared up to add three crucial points to their tally in the ongoing AFC Cup campaign as they prepare to face Al-Ahly Aleppo of Syria at King Fahd Sports City Stadium in the Taif region of Saudi Arabia.

The match, part of the third round of the second group competitions, is scheduled for 7:00 pm.

Later at 9:00 pm, Jordan’s Al-Wahdat will take on Iraq’s Al-Kahraba at King Abdullah II Stadium in the capital, Amman.. Al-Abyad currently occupies the second position in the group with 4 points, closely trailing the group leaders, Al-Kahraba from Iraq. Al-Wahdat are in third place with 3 points, while Ahly Aleppo are at the bottom with 0 points.

The encounter offers a promising opportunity for Al-Abyad to secure three points and bolster their chances of advancing to the West Asia semi-finals, particularly given their opponent’s modest performance in the previous two rounds, resulting in two losses.

The two teams are set to face each other once again in the return match in the fourth round in two weeks. On the domestic front, Al-Kuwait have faced some challenges lately, as they managed to secure only a 1-1 draw against Khaitan in the Zain Premier League’s fifth round last Friday.

This result narrowed the gap between them and their closest rivals, Al-Arabi and Al-Qadisiyah, to just two points. They are also bracing themselves for a crucial showdown against Al-Qadisiyah in the sixth round next Sunday. Al-Kuwait will be without several key players for today’s match, with Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Ali Hussein, Ahmed Al-Zenki, and Youssef Al-Khubaizi sidelined. Al-Dhafiri and Hussein are nursing injuries sustained during the Khaitan match, while Al-Zenki is committed to work-related duties, and Al-Khubaizi has special circumstances preventing his participation. Additionally, Youssef Nasser, goalkeeper Abdel Rahman Kamil, and Ibrahim Kamil are suspended by the AFC, while Amr Abdel Fattah remains sidelined due to an injury.

Despite these absences, the coaching staff, led by Serbian coach Boris Bunjak, is confident in the potential and experience of their players, including Bahraini Mohamed Marhoon, Moroccan Mahdi Barahma, Tunisians Yassine Al-Khanisi and Yassine Amri, along with Mohamed Dahham, Faisal Zayed, Fahd Al-Hajri, Reda Hani, and Fahd Hammoud.

On the opposing side, Al-Ittihad Al-Ahly Aleppo’s Syrian coach, Maan Al-Rashed, is determined to secure the team’s first points in the competition. His squad features experienced players such as Ibrahim Al-Zein, Ahmed Hamo, Abu Bakr Kamara, Victor Abata, Amjad Fayyad, Mahmoud Al-Nayef, Hassan Dahan, Hamza Haj Dibo, and Ahmed Kanu.

By Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff