Kuwait’s national football team officially qualified Tuesday for the 2027 Asian Cup, including the third round of the World Cup 2026 qualifiers. The Kuwaiti team’s relentless efforts and strategic play led them to a well-deserved second place in Group A, in the Asian qualifiers, after culminating earlier a thrilling 1-0 victory over Afghanistan.

The Kuwaiti national team secured its qualification following the Indian national team’s loss to Qatar with a score of 1-2. Kuwait ranked second with seven points, trailing behind the group leader, Qatar, which accumulated 16 points.

The first half of the match, held at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium, was marked by caution from both teams, resulting in few attacks. The Kuwaiti team made timid attempts, while Afghanistan maintained a strong defensive stance.

In the second half, Kuwaiti players increased their efforts on the opponent’s goal, aided by offensive substitutions made by coach Rui Pinto. This strategy paid off in the 81st minute when substitute Eid Al-Rashidi scored the only goal of the match.

The Kuwaiti national team successfully defended this lead until the end of the match, securing three points and ensuring their qualification for the Asian Cup finals for the 11th time, as well as advancing to the decisive round of the World Cup qualifiers.

The final rankings of the first group were: Qatar in first place with 16 points, Kuwait in second with 7 points, India in third with 5 points, and Afghanistan in fourth with 5 points.(KUNA) –

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