Kuwait and Nepal are set to clash in the opening Group A match of the SAFF Championship 2023 at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Tuesday.
Despite not being a SAFF Nation, Kuwait received a formal invitation to play in the 2023 edition of the tournament. It confirmed its participation in May.
Kuwait, the third-ranked team in the competition (World No. 143) after Lebanon (99th) and India (101st), is on a five-match unbeaten run. The Al-Azraq’s last defeat came against Qatar (2-0) in an Arabian Gulf Cup group stage fixture in January.
Nepal, the third-lowest ranked team (174) in the 2023 SAFF Championship, comes with a mixed record in the competition.
In their last five matches, the Gorkhalis won two, lost as many, and drew one. In its most recent match, it suffered a 1-0 loss against the Philippines.
Gorkhalis looking to break the duck
Despite a distinct difference in rankings and quality on paper, Nepal will start its Group A clash against Kuwait with the added motivation of clinching its first-ever win against the Al-Azraq.
As far as head-to-head numbers are concerned, Kuwait enjoys a dominating record against Nepal. Both teams have played each other nine times in total. Kuwait has emerged victorious eight times, with one match ending in a draw.
The two teams faced each other last in an AFC Asian Cup qualifying match on June 11, 2022, where Kuwait cruised past Nepal with a 4-1 win.
“We got three-and--half months to prepare for this [SAFF Cup 2023]. It is an important tournament because we will get valuable experience by playing competitive teams. This is a new generation of football for Nepal, and we hope to give our best performance,” Nepal head coach Vincenzo Alberto Annese told the media when asked about opening the campaign against a challenging opponent like Kuwait.
Annese added that he is satisfied with the fitness levels that his team has shown in training sessions and said there are no injury concerns as of now.
Concerns about weather and pitch quality
There is a noticeable difference between the hyper-arid desert climate of Kuwait and the wet conditions of Bengaluru.
Asked about the impact of the extreme change in conditions, Kuwait head coach Rui Bento said the weather is an unalterable phenomenon. Therefore, like every other team, the onus is on his team to adapt to the conditions.
ALSO READ : ISL 2023-24: FC Goa confirms the signing of Sandesh Jhingan on a three-year deal
A place where he did raise concern was about the pitch quality of the Kanteerava Stadium where Kuwait would play its opening match tomorrow.
“I am a little bit afraid about the field conditions. For the quality of the games to improve and for the players to improve, it is important they have a good ground,” Bento said.
“We have seen the ground and observed the quality of the grass. We will hope that it will improve,” he added.
There are some noticeable bald patches on the pitch, especially around one of the goalposts.
Bald patches on the pitch of the Kanteerava Stadium in Bengaluru ahead of the SAFF Championship match. | Photo Credit: N. Sudarshan / The Hindu
Players to watch out for
Both teams need to play as a unit to churn out a positive result, but the battle between Kuwaiti forward Shabaib Al-Khaldi and Nepal center-back Rohit Chand will be one to watch out for.
Al-Khaldi, who plays for Kazma SC in the Kuwait Premier League, was the competition’s top scorer in the 2021-22 season.
WATCH : Anirudh Thapa weighs in on India’s Intercontinental Cup triumph
With his intelligent off-the-ball movement and clinical ability to find the net, Khaldi can prove to be a menace for the Nepal backline.
Nepal’s 31-year-old midfielder Chand, who plays for Persik Kediri in the Premier Division Indonesian League (now Liga 1), is a versatile midfielder, who can play both as a defensive and attacking midfielder.
He is known for his robust tackling and commanding presence in the middle of the box. From an attacking perspective, Chand has the ability to open defences with his wide range of passing.
Comments
SHARE