Kuwait and Bahrain's Al-Khalidiya 'Cornerstone' and Al-Wehda to Confirm Supremacy
Kuwait hosts Bahrain's Al-Khalidiya in the second round of the second-tier AFC Champions League Two, following Al-Wehda's loss in the first round.
Translated by Qiyas from الجريدة — Original source
Bahraini side Al-Khaleej will visit Kuwait at 7:00 PM today in the second round of Group A of the second edition of the AFC Champions League.
The first round saw Kuwait lose to their visitors, the UAE’s Al-Wahda, by a score of 3-2, following refereeing errors that impacted the match result, including the first goal conceded by the opponent. Meanwhile, the match between Al-Khaleej and Nasaf ended in a goalless draw.
Al-Wahda tops the group with three points, while Al-Khaleej and Nasaf occupy second and third place respectively, each with one point. Kuwait sits at the bottom of the table without any points.
Kuwait enters today’s match backed by home advantage and fan support, as well as the backing of the club’s board of directors and officials, in pursuit of their first victory. Notably, the club is not only aiming to progress far in the tournament but also to compete for the title, according to statements from its officials.
The technical staff of Kuwait, led by Syrian coach Firas Al-Khatib, are fully aware of the importance of today’s match, which serves as a cornerstone for the team in this group. Any result other than a win would complicate their position in the race to secure one of the two spots advancing to the next round.
Al-Khatib relies on an attacking style, similar to the approach used in the team’s 7-1 victory over Al-Nassr.
While Kuwait will be without Mohammed Marhoon due to suspension after his red card against Al-Wahda, they have several key players available, including goalkeeper Saud Al-Houshan, Mohammed Daham, Amr Abdel Fattah, Youssef Nasser, and others.
Meanwhile, Al-Khaleej’s technical staff, under Croatian coach Goran Tomić, aim to return with a positive result after the draw against Nasaf in Manama, which felt more like a defeat.
Al-Khaleej have played four matches in the Bahraini Premier League, accumulating eight points and placing them in second position.
In the other match, between Nasaf and Al-Wahda, the UAE side seeks a second consecutive victory to continue their sole leadership of the group.
For their part, Nasaf’s management hopes to secure all three points, or at least a draw, to avoid being eliminated from the qualification race too early.
