Kuwait’s head coach Juan Pizzi (right) with player Fahad Hajri.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 7: Kuwait resumed training at Thamer Stadium after returning from Amman, where it drew 1-1 with Jordan at Amman International Stadium in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Thursday.

The Kuwaiti team has begun preparations for its upcoming match against Iraq, scheduled for Tuesday, at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium.  The Iraqi delegation is expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon and will have a single training session on the match field. The technical staff addressed some issues from the game against Jordan, particularly the first half where the team struggled with organization and control. 

Despite the draw, Kuwait gained confidence and broke a decade-long streak of poor results against Jordan. This match also highlighted the tactical boldness of Argentine coach Juan Pizzi, who opted for an aggressive approach despite the odds. Pizzi’s substitutions put pressure on Jordan and showcased the strengths of players like Moaz Al-Dhafiri, Yousef Majed, and Mahdi Dashti, while veterans such as Faisal Zayed, Sami Al-Sanea, Khaled Ibrahim, Fahad Al-Hajri, Yousef Nasser, and Suleiman Abdul Ghafoor also demonstrated their experience.

The Football Association began selling tickets for the Kuwait vs. Iraq match the day before yesterday, setting a nominal price of two dinars per ticket. Over 60% of tickets for Kuwaiti fans have been sold, while all 5,000 tickets allocated for the Iraqi supporters are sold out.

Iraqi striker Ayman Hussein will miss the match against Kuwait due to a chest injury sustained during a World Cup qualifier against Oman on Thursday. Hussein was transferred from Basra Stadium to Al-Sabah Hospital for further evaluation and will be sidelined for approximately 30 days. He reported that his condition is stable and expressed gratitude for the support from officials and fans in both Iraq and Kuwait.

Minister of Information and Culture and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Abdulrahman Al-Mutairi, Minister of Health Dr. Ahmed Al-Awadhi, Vice Chairman of the Kuwait Football Association Ahmed Aqla Al-Enezi, former Chairman Abdullah Al-Shaheen, and Iraq’s Ambassador to  Kuwait Al-Munhal Al-Safi visited Hussein in the hospital to check on his condition. Aqla also thanked the First Deputy and Minister of Interior and Defense Sheikh Fahad Al-Youssef for facilitating Hussein’s entry to Kuwait for treatment and expressed wishes for his speedy recovery and return to the field.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassh/Arab Times Staff