Pinto praises competitive spirit in training as Kuwait gear up for India

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 13: The technical staff of Kuwait, under the guidance of Portuguese coach Rui Pinto, is actively seeking a substitute for the injured player Ahmed Al-Dhafiri. Al-Dhafiri has been officially ruled out due to injury and will not be able to participate in the upcoming match against India, scheduled for the day after tomorrow in the opening round of the joint qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup finals in the United States of America and Mexico, as well as the 2027 Asian Cup in Saudi Arabia.

Rui Pinto is currently considering three players – Abdulaziz Wadi, Athbi Shehab, and Badr Tariq – to take Al-Dhafiri's place. Wadi, returning to the national team after a lengthy absence due to injury, seems to be the frontrunner for this position.

Pinto is emphasizing specific technical and tactical strategies for the upcoming match and focusing on how to approach the Indian team. He is also closely monitoring the players who will be in the starting lineup, ensuring they execute the instructions precisely while keeping a watchful eye on the opponent's key players. Pinto is pleased with the high morale of all players.

In the goalkeeping department, there is a competition between Suleiman Abdel Ghafour, Abdel Rahman Kamil, and Abdel Rahman Al Majdali to secure the team's defense. Pinto has praised the competitive spirit in training, particularly due to its positive impact on the team.

The odds of Abdul Ghafour returning as the national team's goalkeeper seem to be strong, given his experience.

Meanwhile, the Indian team will conduct their training at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium in Al-Qadisiyah Club this evening and will conclude the training at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium tomorrow, Wednesday, where the match is scheduled to take place.

In a separate development, Kuwait Olympic team coach Emilio Peixe addressed the players before the start of the team's first training at their camp in the Emirate of Sharjah on Saturday.

Peixe urged the players to give their maximum effort in both training and the upcoming matches against the UAE and Tajikistan, scheduled for the 16th and 19th of this month. The training camp is in preparation for the AFC U-23 Cup finals, which will be held in Qatar from April 15 to May 3 next year and serves as a qualification for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Daily training sessions involve all selected players under Peixe's supervision.

Hassan Musa
Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff