Players in action during the Kuwait and UAE match.

MANAMA, July 26: Kuwait’s national volleyball team wrapped up its campaign at the inaugural West Asia Championship by securing fifth place, following a commanding 3-0 win over the UAE in the fifth-place playoff match. The sets ended 25-17, 30-28, and 25-17 in favor of Al-Azraq. In another placement match, Jordan defeated Lebanon 3-0 to take seventh place.

Kuwait had a challenging start to the tournament, opening with a 0-3 loss to Oman — a result that had a lasting impact on its progression. Despite bouncing back with a 3-2 victory over Saudi Arabia and a close 2-3 loss to Qatar, Kuwait finished fourth in Group B. This set up a quarterfinal clash with Group A winner Bahrain, which ended in a 0-3 defeat. However, Al-Azraq responded strongly in the classification stage, defeating both Jordan and the UAE to claim fifth place overall.

Player Abdulnasser Al-Enezi expressed mixed feelings after the final match. While pleased with the team’s win over the UAE, he voiced disappointment at missing out on the semifinals. “Fifth place wasn’t our ambition — we were aiming for a spot in the final four,” he said. “Arriving just one day before the start of the tournament affected our performance against Oman, and that impacted our path in the competition.”

Al-Enezi added that the team includes several promising young players and stressed the importance of continued support and development to help them reach their full potential.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff