Ibrahim: We have passed through a difficult phase

Al-Ahly set a meeting with Lebanese Ansar in the next round, hosting them in Kuwait on March 3, before the return leg takes place on the 13th. Meanwhile, Syrian Al-Hamraa Al-Fida will face their compatriots, Ahli Aleppo, during the same dates.

The qualifier from the two Western final matches will face the winner in the tournament final against the representative from the rest of the continent.

Al-Qadsiah concluded their group stage campaign with a 2-1 victory over Indian Goa on Friday at the Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium.

After the match, Al-Qadsiah coach Mohamed Ibrahim expressed his satisfaction with the players' performance in the group matches and the preceding preparation period, noting their success in navigating a difficult stage.

Ibrahim emphasized his commitment to an attacking style, evidenced by making four substitutions in the match, bringing on additional attackers. He pointed out that the team "proved its ability to reach the opponent's goal, but converting chances remains a matter of luck."

He added, "We were also able to defend our goal correctly, conceding only a single goal from a set piece, which I was not satisfied with."

The "General" confirmed that the match against the Indian team was the toughest in the group, and that the players were physically affected by fatigue, particularly defenders Khaled Subah and Muath Al-Dhafiri. Nevertheless, "they were men on the pitch along with their teammates."

He continued, "We knew that there would be three decisive matches within a week, and the recovery phase was not easy. Player participation was based on the team's needs, and I am happy with the competition among them."

In the Tajik capital, Dushanbe, Al-Arabi concluded their campaign in the Challenge League with a third consecutive loss, falling 1-3 to Lebanese Al-Najma.

Dutch player Walid Walid Al-Sheikh (39') scored the only goal for the "Green" team, which remained at the bottom of Group Two with zero points, before the Lebanese team responded with a three-goal haul through Ali Qassab (45+3'), Mohammed Haydar (58'), and Ali Naim (90+2'), raising their tally to 6 points. However, they failed to secure the qualification spot, which went to Syrian Al-Hamraa Al-Fida (9 points).

Following the match, Al-Arabi club management announced the appointment of Bosnian coach Darko Nestorovic to lead the team, replacing Mohamed Abdelnabi, who had taken temporary charge in the continental competition after the dismissal of Croatian coach Zeljko Dalic.

Nestorovic returns to the "Green Fortress" for the fourth time, having previously coached the team in the 2017-2018, 2019-2020, and 2023-2024 seasons.

The management also decided to appoint former international player Khaled Abdelqodous as head of the football department, replacing Badr Ashour, in changes aimed at restoring balance to the team, which has recorded its worst start in history, failing to win in its first eight matches, both domestic and international. This participation in the Challenge League also marks its worst external performance in terms of results.

Al-Yousef expressed his wishes for success for the "Yellow" team in upcoming matches and for continuing their journey in the tournament.

On Saturday, a delegation from the Kuwait Club football team departed for the Uzbek city of Karshi in preparation for their match against hosts Nasaf Karshi, scheduled for next Wednesday, as part of the third round of the AFC Champions League Two.

The "White" team sits second in Group One with 3 points, behind leaders Al-Ittihad Kalba of the UAE on 6 points, and one point ahead of Nasaf and Bahraini Al-Khalidiya.