DOHA, April 22: Tonight marks the end of the Kuwait Olympic team's run in the AFC U-23 Cup, taking place in Doha, as they face off against Malaysia at Al Janoub Stadium at 6:30 pm. Despite both teams exiting the qualifying race after two losses each, Kuwait's Al-Azraq aims to redeem itself after setbacks against Vietnam (1-3) and Uzbekistan (0-5).

Portuguese coach Emilio Peixe is expected to field players who missed the previous matches, emphasizing the need for a different performance against Malaysia. Peixe stated in the last press conference that the team is determined "to show a different image from the confrontation with Uzbekistan and achieve the desired benefit from the match."

Meanwhile, Qatar and Indonesia secured their spots in the quarter-finals. Indonesia defeated Jordan 4-1, while Qatar drew with Australia. Qatar leads Group A with seven points, followed by Indonesia with six points, Australia with two points, and Jordan with one point.

Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia have already qualified for the quarter-finals, with Iraq and Thailand competing for the final spot. The top three teams in the tournament secure a spot in the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, while the fourth-place team faces further challenges.

Khaled El Anzi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff