Musfer Al-Adwani shoots the ball during Kuwait and Saudi Arabia match.

RIYADH, Sept 1: Kuwait’s U-20 team kept its Gulf Cup hopes alive after a 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Sports City in Group A. Abdulaziz Al-Shamri gave Saudi Arabia the lead in the 41st minute, but Musfer Al-Adwani equalized for Kuwait in the 77th.

Yemen also claimed a crucial 1-0 win over Qatar, thanks to Mukhtar Muwafaq’s goal in the 21st minute.

After two rounds, Saudi Arabia leads the group with four points, Yemen sits second with three, Kuwait has two, and Qatar trails with one.

Kuwait must defeat Yemen in its final group match to advance to the semifinals. Saudi Arabia needs only a draw against Qatar, Yemen can progress with a draw or win, and Qatar must win to qualify.

The Kuwait Olympic team wraps up preparations this evening ahead of tomorrow’s opening match against host Myanmar in Group B of the AFC U-23 Asian Cup qualifiers. Head coach Dario Basic is expected to finalize his starting lineup during today’s session, as the team looks to secure a positive start and ease its path to the next round.

Kuwait will face Afghanistan on Saturday and conclude the group stage against Japan on September 9. The team trained yesterday in Myanmar after arriving from a preparatory camp in Bangkok. This marks Kuwait’s seventh appearance in the U-23 qualifiers and its sixth consecutive campaign, to reach the finals for the fourth time.

Saudi Arabia will host the 2026 AFC U-23 Asian Cup finals in January. Group winners, along with the four best runners-up, will qualify to join the hosts.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff