Kuwaiti players celebrate after scoring against Qatar.

MANAMA, July 22: The Kuwait national volleyball team is set for a tough showdown against host and title favorite Bahrain at 7:00 pm tonight in the quarterfinals of the inaugural West Asia Volleyball Championship, currently taking place at Isa bin Rashid Hall in Bahrain and running through July 27.

The quarterfinal action also features Saudi Arabia vs. Jordan at 1:00 pm, the UAE vs. Oman at 3:00 pm, and Qatar vs. Lebanon at 5:00 pm.

Kuwait heads into the knockout stage after suffering its second tournament loss—a close 3-2 defeat to Qatar in the final match of Group B. That round also saw Saudi Arabia secure a 3-0 victory over Oman.

Qatar topped the group with 8 points, followed by Saudi Arabia with 4 points. Oman took third with 3 points, edging out Kuwait—who also had 3 points—based on set difference.

Despite the loss, Kuwait, under Argentine coach Julián Álvarez, showed flashes of brilliance against a strong Qatari side. After a slow start and a heavy 25-12 loss in the first set, Kuwait bounced back to take the second 25-23. Qatar regained control in the third set, winning 25-17, but Kuwait refused to back down and leveled the match with a 25-22 fourth set win. In the decisive fifth set, Qatar prevailed 15-11.

While Kuwait faces an uphill battle against a confident Bahraini team playing on home soil and in front of its fans, the Blue team has proven it can rise to the occasion. A strong performance from Kuwait’s key players could very well lead to a surprise result in tonight’s highly anticipated clash.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff