Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Kuwait City: Al Qadsia will be without leading scorer Bader Al Motawaa for Saturday’s AFC Cup final against fellow Kuwait Premier League side and defending champions Kuwait Sport Club.
Al Motawaa scored nine goals to propel Al Qadsia to the weekend’s final at Peace & Friendship Stadium, but is sidelined with a foot injury picked up on national team duty with Kuwait.
Defenders Dhary Abdullah and Mohammad Sanad and midfielder Fahed Al Ebrahim are also sidelined due to injury as Al Qadsia seek to deny Kuwait SC a third AFC Cup title in five years.
“Kuwait SC are a respectful side and they deserve to reach to the final of the competition,” said Al Qadsia coach Mohammad Ibrahim.
“The club’s administration and technical staff have been working hard in recent years and they have several good players who are national team players.”
Al Qadsia have twice suffered defeats by Kuwait SC in the knockout stages of the AFC Cup after losing in the Round of 16 in both 2011 and 2012.
But despite seeing his side slip four points behind Kuwait SC at the top of the Premier League table after being held to a 1-1 draw by Kheitan on Saturday, Ibrahim is looking forward to a competitive final.
“We have a good squad for the match and I hope that the final will be watched by a big number of fans,” he added.
“There will be no losers tomorrow as the two teams are from Kuwait and we will congratulate the winners at the end of the day.”
Ibrahim’s side earned their place in the final after beating two-time AFC Cup champions Al Faisaly from Jordan 3-1 on aggregate in the semi-finals, with Al Qadsia unbeaten in their last three home games in the AFC Cup.
Al Qadsia recorded a 4-0 win over Oman’s Fanja in the Round of 16, and after sharing a goalless draw with Syria’s Al Shorta in the first leg of their quarter-final, a 2-1 first leg win over 2006 and 2007 champions Al Faisaly laid the foundations for their place in the final.
“It’s really an important and good step to see two teams from Kuwait playing in the final of the competition,” said Al Qadsia captain Saleh Sheikh.
“We respect and don’t underestimate our opponents who we used to playing against a lot in the recent years and it will be an open match.”