Sousa 'intensifies' training for Al-Azraq players

Kuwait officials: Portuguese coach Helio Sousa of the national first football team has been keen on intensifying training sessions for the Blue Team players in the Qatari capital, Doha, by organizing two training sessions: a morning session at the Health Club and an evening session at the Aspire Academy stadium, in preparation for participation in the Arabian Gulf Cup (Gulf 27) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, during the period from the 23rd of this month until October 6 next year.

Our national team is in Group A alongside the host nation Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Iraq, while Group B includes the national teams of the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Yemen.

Coach Sousa had selected 27 players for this mission, but he is currently forced to conduct training sessions with only 19 players due to the absence of eight Al-Kuwait Club players: Khaled Al-Rashidi, Saud Al-Houshan, Mohsen Fallah, Reda Hani, Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Abdullah Al-Qarzaei, Mohammed Daham, and Youssef Nasser. Their absence is due to their involvement in an external match for their club, Al-White, against the UAE’s Al-Ittihad on the 16th of this month, as part of the first round of Group A in the AFC Champions League Two.

Sousa is expected to assess the players’ levels more closely through the training squad selection, as well as to implement his tactical approach ahead of the friendly match against Yemen on the 18th of this month in Jeddah, which will serve as the final rehearsal before the tournament begins with the match against Saudi Arabia on the 23rd of this month. So far, there are no major injuries among the Blue Team, which is a positive development that allows the coach to implement his ideas.