BANGKOK, June 3: Kuwait delegation departs from Bangkok to Kolkata to face India in the fifth round of the joint Asian qualifiers for both the 2026 World Cup finals in the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada, as well as the 2027 Asian Cup, set to be held in Saudi Arabia.

Upon arrival in Kolkata, Al-Azraq plans to hold a single training session as requested by the technical staff, led by Portuguese coach Rui Pinto.

In anticipation of the crucial match against the Indian team, Al-Azraq has intensified its training regimen, conducting morning and evening sessions. The team aims to secure a positive result, advancing its journey to compete for the second qualifying card for the decisive stage of the World Cup qualifiers, along with securing a spot in the Asian Cup finals. Currently, Qatar leads Group A with a perfect record of 12 points, and Kuwait, holds the fourth position with 3 points, trailing behind India and Afghanistan by one point.

Coach Pinto and his assistant, Ahmed Abdel Karim, have organized meetings with the players, focusing on technical lectures, and instructions, and emphasizing the importance of implementing strategies practiced in daily training sessions. The team has also analyzed the performance of the Indian team in previous qualifiers to identify areas of strength and weakness.

Khaled El Anzi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff