A file photo of Kuwait Club players in action during the group play of the AFC Champions League 2 match.

DUBAI, Oct 22: Kuwait Club is aiming for victory as it faces Shabab Al-Ahli of the UAE at 7:00 pm this evening at Rashid Stadium in Dubai, in the third round of Group 4 in the AFC Champions League 2.

In the same group, Jordan's Al-Hussein Irbid will host Nasaf Qarshi of Uzbekistan at Al-Hassan Stadium in Amman, with both matches kicking off simultaneously.

Kuwait Club currently sits at the bottom of the group with just one point from two matches, trailing group leader Nasaf Qarshi by three points, and two points behind both Al-Hussein Irbid and Shabab Al-Ahli.

The "Whites" missed the opportunity to capitalize on home advantage in the first round, settling for a goalless draw against Nasaf. They later suffered a 2-1 defeat to Al-Hussein Irbid in Amman during the second round.

Kuwait Club’s Montenegrin coach Nebojsa Jovovic understands the significance of tonight’s match, seeing it as a potential "turning point" in the tournament. A win would bring the team back into contention, while a loss would severely damage its chances of advancing to the next round.

Jovovic is relying on the full readiness of his squad, who are in high spirits after dominating the Zain Premier League with seven straight wins, leading the table by three points ahead of their closest competitor, Al-Arabi.

Key players expected to make an impact include Moroccans Yahya Jabran and Ayman Abu Al-Fath, Tunisian Yassine Khenissi, Bahraini Mohammed Marhoon, and Congolese Arsen "Malik" Zola, alongside local talents like Mohammed Daham, Mishari Ghannam, Yousef Nasser, Sami Al-Sanea, Fahad Hamoud, Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Ali Hussein, Reda Hani, Faisal Zayed, Fahad Al-Hajri, and Amr Abdel Fattah.

On the other side, Shabab Al Ahli is enjoying a period of technical stability, co-leading the UAE League alongside Sharjah with 15 points after five rounds. They have also advanced to the quarter-finals of the President’s Cup.

In the AFC Champions League, Shabab Al Ahli won its first match 3-1 against Al-Hussein Irbid but suffered a 2-1 defeat to Nasaf Qarshi in the second round.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff