Pizzi and Yousef address the media after the Palestine match.

DOHA, Oct 16: Kuwait's international campaign, which began at the end of last September, has concluded after the team played two crucial matches—against Oman and Palestine—in the third and fourth rounds of Group Two in the third stage of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers.

Kuwait suffered a 0-4 defeat to Oman but managed to secure a 2-2 draw with Palestine.

Currently, Kuwait sits in fifth place in the group with 3 points, level with Oman but trailing on goal difference. South Korea leads the group with 10 points, 3 points ahead of Jordan and Iraq, while Palestine occupies sixth and last place with 2 points.

Next up, Kuwait will host South Korea and Jordan in the fifth and sixth rounds on November 14 and 19, with plans to hold a domestic training camp starting in early November.

Argentine coach Juan Pizzi commended the players' high spirits during the Palestine match, saying, "The Blues regained confidence after the previous loss."

At the post-match press conference, Pizzi expressed his disappointment at losing two valuable points, emphasizing that the team aimed for all three points but "lacked focus in the final minutes."

He noted that his players gave their best effort and were determined to win, but "things didn't go as we had hoped."

Pizzi also acknowledged the tough challenges ahead in November’s matches and stressed his intent to "evaluate and rehabilitate all players to prepare them properly."

Several players, including Fahad Al-Hajri and Salman Al-Awadhi, sustained injuries during the match.

Team captain Yousef Nasser highlighted the improved performance, saying, "The team played a great match and showed a better image compared to the previous game," though he admitted the result was unsatisfactory. He added, "The journey to World Cup qualification is still long."

Nasser also mentioned the team had addressed some mistakes from the previous match and created several scoring opportunities against Palestine, managing to find the net twice.

Palestine's coach, Makram Daboub, said his team put in a strong performance despite the match's challenges, stating, "We deserved a better result than the draw."

Looking ahead, Daboub emphasized the importance of its upcoming match against Oman in November’s fifth round, adding, "We are still in the race for fourth place, with five matches remaining to correct mistakes and regain full fitness."

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff