Players hold training session for the game against Palestine.

DOHA, Oct 14: Kuwait is rallying today in pursuit of its first victory in the third round of the 2026 World Cup Asian qualifiers when it faces Palestine at 7:00 PM at Jassim bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, Qatar, as part of the fourth round of Group Two matches.

Currently, Kuwait sits in fifth place with two points, trailing Palestine, which is at the bottom of the standings with just one point. South Korea and Iraq share the group lead with seven points each, followed by Jordan with four, and Oman with three.

Despite a promising start to the qualifiers, including a 1-1 draw against Jordan (runner-up of the last Asian Cup) and a goalless draw against Iraq (champion of the Gulf Cup), Kuwait struggled in its last match, suffering a 4-0 defeat to Oman h, while Kuwait’s players appeared disorganized and lacked cohesion.

Kuwait’s Argentine coach, Juan Antonio Pizzi, now faces the challenge of addressing the weaknesses in his team’s performance if it is to remain in contention for one of the top four spots. Pizzi will need to put the previous poor results behind him and seek a fresh start in the qualifiers.

The top two teams in each group qualify directly for the World Cup, while the third and fourth-place teams will enter a final play-off round. The fifth and sixth-place teams, however, will be eliminated from the competition.

Pizzi’s approach worked well against Jordan and Iraq but faltered against Oman, who secured its first victory after two defeats. The defensive tactics employed allowed Oman to dominate the match, leaving Kuwait vulnerable. Today’s match is crucial, as a win is essential to keep qualification hopes alive. A loss would severely damage Kuwait’s chances, potentially dropping it to last place in the group.

Pizzi is expected to make changes to the lineup, giving other players the chance to prove their capabilities. The team will need to play with determination, high energy, and discipline to secure the three points.

Meanwhile, Palestine is equally determined to secure a win, having recorded two defeats and one draw in its first-round match against group leader South Korea. However, it will be without key player Samer Al-Jundi, who sustained a cruciate ligament injury and is ruled out following a medical examination at Aspetar Hospital in Doha.

In a press conference held in Doha yesterday, Pizzi stated that the Blues are determined to secure a win, although he acknowledged that the mission will not be easy and will require significant technical preparation.

Pizzi also addressed some challenges his team is facing, particularly injuries to certain players, and highlighted his efforts to find suitable alternatives to fill those gaps.

He stressed the need for the team to deliver its best performance against Palestine, stating that avoiding any points lost is crucial for its chances of advancing from the second group.

Player Reda Hani echoed these sentiments, noting that the technical staff had met with the players during recent training sessions to emphasize the importance of avoiding the mistakes made in the match against Oman. He expressed hope that the Blues would deliver their best performance against Palestine and secure a victory.

Hani also urged fans to continue their support for the team, praising their vital role in achieving positive results.

On the other hand, Palestine's Tunisian coach, Makram Daboub, shared his optimism and motivation for his players ahead of the anticipated clash with Kuwait.

"We have an important match ahead of us, and we will strive to win it to keep our qualification hopes alive," he said. "Every match is an opportunity to strengthen our position in the qualifiers, so we must be fully prepared. We are accustomed to achieving positive results in Qatar and aim to maintain that momentum. The atmosphere here is encouraging, and we know our fans support us."

The match will be officiated by a Qatari refereeing team, led by international referee Abdulrahman Al-Jassim, with Taleb Salem and Saud Ahmed as assistants, Mohammed Al-Shammari as the fourth official, and Abdullah Al-Athba and Zahi Al-Shammari handling VAR duties.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff