Al-Qadsiya has no choice but to win today.

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 3: Al-Qadsiya is determined to secure nothing less than a win when it hosts Bahrain's Al-Riffa at 5:35 PM today at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium, in the fourth round of the Gulf Champions League’s second group. In the same group, Al-Arabi of Qatar will face Saudi Arabia's Al-Ettifaq at 8:00 pm at Abdullah Al-Dabal Stadium.

Meanwhile, in the AFC Champions League 2's fourth group, Kuwait Club will meet Al-Hussein Irbid of Jordan at 7:00 pm at Kuwait Club Stadium in Kaifan, in the sixth and final round of the group stage. In the same group, Shabab Al-Ahli of the UAE will take on Nasaf Qarshi of Uzbekistan at Rashid Stadium, also at 7:00 pm.

For Al-Qadsiya, the match against Al-Riffa is crucial, as it must secure all three points to keep its hopes alive of qualifying for the semi-finals. With just two points from three matches, it sits in third place, while Al-Riffa has 4 points in second place. Al-Ettifaq leads with a perfect 9 points, and Al-Arabi is at the bottom of the group with 1 point.

Despite showing strong performances in previous rounds, Al-Qadsiya has struggled to win, hampered by controversial refereeing decisions. It drew 1-1 with Al-Arabi in the first round, lost 1-0 to Al-Ettifaq in the second, and earned a 2-2 draw with Al-Riffa in the third round.

Montenegrin coach Zeljko Petrovic knows that anything less than a win today will severely damage its chances of advancing, especially with Al-Ettifaq likely to secure the first qualification spot.

Al-Qadsiya will be without Moroccan midfielder Mehdi Berrahma due to injury but will welcome back central defender Khaled Ibrahim, who missed the first leg.

Qadsiya's Montenegrin coach, Zeljko Petrovic, described today’s match against Riffa as “crucial” and emphasized his confidence in his players' ability to maintain their strong performances in the tournament and secure a positive result.

In a press conference held yesterday, Petrovic stated that a victory “does not guarantee Qadsiya’s qualification to the semi-finals alongside leaders Al-Ettifaq,” adding that “any other result doesn’t mean elimination from the tournament either.”

He went on to note, “The chances of qualifying are equal for Qadsiya, Riffa, and Al-Arabi.”

Player Abdullah Al-Awadhi, for his part, reassured fans of the team’s readiness, expressing the squad’s eagerness to deliver a strong performance and continue their impressive run.

Riffa’s coach, Haitham Jatal, shared his excitement for the match, stating that he is determined to achieve a positive result. He mentioned that, in preparation, he has focused on correcting the mistakes made in the team's previous match.

Jatal highlighted that “the stakes are high against Qadsiya, which promises an intense match as both teams will be fighting for victory and striving to stay in the qualification race.”

In the AFC Champions League 2 match between Kuwait Club and Al-Hussein Irbid, Kuwait Clu aims to salvage its reputation after losing hope of qualification. With just 5 points, it sits in third place, far behind leader Shabab Al-Ahli (10 points) and runner-up Al-Hussein (9 points), both of whom have secured their progression to the next round. Kuwait Club will also look to avenge its 2-1 loss to Al-Hussein Irbid in the first leg.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-seyassah/Arab Times Staff