Players fight for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 24: Kuwaiti U-20 team set to clash with Lebanon at 8:30 PM at Abdullah Al Khalifa Stadium. This match marks the third round of Group Three competitions in the qualifiers for the 2025 Asian Cup finals in China. A win is crucial for Kuwait to keep its hopes alive for a direct qualification spot as the top team from the ten groups, or at least to compete for one of the five best second-place slots. A draw or loss would significantly diminish its chances in the tournament.

Today's matchup poses a challenge for Kuwait against a motivated Lebanese side, which is also pursuing victory after narrowly losing 2-3 to UAE in its first match. Head coach Dario Bacic and assistant coach Mohammed Al-Fulaijawi emphasize the need for intense focus, especially following its recent defeat against South Korea, where individual errors led to a 3-0 loss.

In their previous qualifying round, the Blue Team faced their first defeat, while the UAE triumphed over the Northern Mariana Islands with a staggering score of 13-0. The UAE currently leads the group with six points, followed by Kuwait with three points, and South Korea in third place, also with three points but with a lower goal difference. The Lebanese and Northern Mariana Islands sit at the bottom of the table without points.

The match against South Korea was marred by questionable refereeing decisions. A key moment occurred when a foul on a Kuwaiti player went uncalled, leading to the Koreans' first goal. Filipino referee Clifford Depuyat also failed to issue cards to several Korean players for rough play, opting for verbal warnings instead.

Just before halftime, a misjudged clearance by Jassim Shamouh unfortunately found its way into the net, leaving the Blues trailing by two goals at the break. Despite several attacking attempts in the second half, Kuwait could not find the net, and Korea sealed its victory with a third goal in the 72nd minute.

In other news, South Korea is anticipated to have an easier match against the Northern Mariana Islands, but Kuwait is focused on securing a vital win against Lebanon to keep their Asian Cup aspirations alive.

By Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff