Kuwait must beat Yemen to keep U-20 Asian Cup hopes alive

Kuwait players vie for the ball with the Japanese during the opening match.

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia, Sept 2: Kuwait faces a must-win clash against Yemen today as it looks to revive its hopes of reaching next year’s AFC U-20 Asian Cup finals in China.

The match kicks off at noon at the National Sports Complex Stadium in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, in the second round of Group Seven. Japan will meet hosts Cambodia in the other group match.

Kuwait opened its campaign with a heavy 4-0 defeat to Japan, while Yemen also suffered a setback, losing 2-1 to Cambodia.

Coach Vrdoljak Milen has spent the past two days working to address the defensive errors that cost Kuwait dearly in their opener, with all four Japanese goals coming before halftime.

With qualification at stake, Milen knows there is little room for another slip-up. A victory would put Kuwait back in the race, but the coach has stressed the need for greater concentration, discipline and teamwork.

The eight group winners will qualify automatically for the finals, with the seven best second-placed teams also earning places.

Kuwait therefore needs to respond to Yemen and produce a much-improved performance if they are to keep their Asian Cup dream alive.