Kuwait's "Blue" squad faces Yemen in their final rehearsal

Abdulaziz Jasim

Kuwait’s national senior football team will face the Yemeni national team at 7:30 p.m. Yemen time at the training grounds of the Saudi Football Federation in a friendly match ahead of the launch of “Gulf Cup 27” in Jeddah next Wednesday. The Blue Falcons will open their campaign in the tournament by facing host Saudi Arabia on opening day in Group A, which also includes Oman and Iraq.

The Blue Falcons’ delegation arrived in Jeddah yesterday evening, where they were warmly welcomed with flowers by the organizing committee of the Gulf Cup. The administrative and technical staff of both teams have decided to close the match to the public and the media, as it serves as the “final rehearsal” before entering official competition. Consequently, maintaining secrecy over team selection and tactical approach is crucial for both sides.

Blue Falcons coach Helio Souza is aware that time is tight to integrate the Kuwait SC players with the rest of the squad after their arrival from Abu Dhabi in the early hours of yesterday and their participation in the evening training session with the other players on the auxiliary pitch of King Abdullah International Stadium. Therefore, he will focus on gradually integrating them, particularly those players he intends to feature as starters.

Conversely, some players will need to prove their worth in today’s match, especially given that Coach Souza makes no distinction between starters and substitutes. His criterion is who delivers a standout performance, whether in training or in friendly matches. He is thus sending a clear message to the players that no one, from the goalkeeper to the forwards, has a guaranteed place in the starting lineup.

Meanwhile, the medical staff will closely monitor defender Mohsen Falah following a muscle strain he sustained in Kuwait’s match against UAE’s Al-Wehda the day before yesterday, which forced coach Faras Al-Khatib to substitute him in the 30th minute of the first half.