AFC Cup: Rivals' watch – Kuwait SC

Sportskeeda profiles East Bengal’s AFC Cup 2013 semi-final opponents Kuwait SC, who are the reigning Kuwait and AFC Cup champions.

History

Founded in 1947, Kuwait Sports Club were the first sports club to be established in Kuwait. Based in Kaifan, which is a suburb of Kuwait City, they are the third most successful club in Kuwait with 11 league titles and have appeared in 46 of the 51 completed domestic seasons in Kuwait. Nicknamed ‘the Brigadiers’, Kuwait SC have won 32 major trophies including two AFC Cup titles. The noughties were the best era in the club’s history as they have five league titles since 2000 including a hat-trick between 2005 and 2008. Their most recent crown came last season as they became champions of Kuwait for the first time since 2008.

Kuwait SC have also participated in the group stage of the AFC Champions League but never been able to progress to the knockouts. This is their fifth straight appearance in the AFC Cup and they have at least reached the quarter-finals on four occasions. Their first AFC Cup crown came in 2009 when they defeated Syria’s Al Karamah 2-1 on home soil. They lost the 2011 final 2-1 away at Uzbekistan’s Nasaf Qarshi but bounced back brilliantly the following year to beat Iraq’s Arbil 4-0 away to lift their second title and become the joint-most successful team in the competition’s history along with Jordan’s Al Faisaly.

Record against Indian teams

Played: 5; Won: 4; Draw: 1; Lost: 0; Goals Scored: 19; Goals Against: 4

Road to the semis

Group Stage – Played: 6; Won: 4; Draw: 0; Lost: 2; Goals Scored 15; Goals Against: 6

Kuwait SC were drawn in Group A alongside Bahrain’s Al Riffa, Lebanon’s Safa and Regar-TadAZ of Tajikistan. The holders qualified comfortably by winning their first four games, scoring 13 and conceding only twice. But they lost their 100 percent record on matchday five following a 2-3 home defeat to Al Riffa and were beaten 1-0 by Safa in Lebanon on matchday six. The two-time champions still managed to win the group.

Round of 16 – Defeated Iraq’s Dohuk SC on penalties after one-legged tie finished 1-1 in 120 minutes.

Kuwait SC (in white) needed penalties to get past Iraq’s Duhok

In the one-off round of 16 tie, Kuwait SC were paired against Dohuk SC from Iraq. Despite having home advantage, the Kuwaiti outfit were unconvincing as they were held to a 1-1 draw in 90 minutes of action. Even extra time couldn’t separate the teams but Kuwait SC held their nerves in the shootout as they converted each of their four penalties to win 4-1 and progress to the last eight.

Quarter-finals – Defeated Maldives’s New Radiant 12-2 over two legs

When New Radiant of Maldives were confirmed to be their quarter-final opponents it looked like a complete mismatch and so it proved. Kuwait SC showed their class in the first leg as they dismantled New Radiant 7-2 in Male, Maldives and showed no mercy in the second leg also as they triumphed 5-0 to complete a mammoth 12-2 victory on aggregate.

Current Team

Kuwait SC are currently coached by Romanian Marin Ion who has been in charge since July 2012 and guided the club to the domestic league and AFC Cup double last season. They have also made a perfect start to their domestic campaign this season with three wins in as many games but face a tougher competition this time as the league has 14 teams while it only had eight or nine participants for the previous seven seasons.

Seven Kuwait SC players were part of the Kuwaiti national team’s last international match while there are many others who are on the fringes of the team. The foreigners are Tunisian internationals Chadi Hammami and Issam Jemaa, Bahrain international Hussain Ali Baba and Brazilian Rogerinho, who has been at the club since 2008. Although the club has been highly successful in home and Asia, Kuwait SC have struggled to attract good crowds for their home AFC Cup matches this season with the average attendance being around 700.

This is how Kuwait SC could line up against East Bengal

Coach Ion likes to play a diamond in midfield with young Shereedah Al Shereedah as the defensive midfielder and Abdullah Al Buraiki at the top just behind the two strikers. The two midfielders (usually Hammami and Waleed Ali) who play just ahead of Al Shereedah are also allowed plenty of freedom and their movement is very flexible, thus making very difficult for the opposition to mark them. The fullbacks are also encouraged to get forward at every opportunity and this is where the Kuwait team could have a weakness as when they lose possession in the opposition’s half the only three outfield players who are behind the ball are the two centre backs and Al Shereedah.

Kuwait SC’s forward line has been in outstanding form in this AFC Cup with Brazilian Rogerinho supporting Tunisia international Jemaa. While Rogerinho likes running the channels, Jemaa usually comes alive inside the box. The strength in depth in their squad is miles ahead of East Bengal’s with coach Ion having an embarrassment of riches especially in midfield and attack.

Key players

Hussain Ali Baba

The highly experienced Bahrain international central defender is in the second season of his second spell at Kuwait SC and will be determined to retain the AFC Cup title. 31-year-old Baba’s class and experience in central defence will be vital for the champions in two-legged semi-final.

Abdullah Al Buraiki

The 26-year-old Kuwait international is usually given a free role behind the two strikers and is quite effective in both creating and scoring goals. Buraiki has netted four times already in this AFC Cup and will be aiming to increase his personal tally against East Bengal.

Rogerinho

The 26-year-old Brazilian is into his sixth season with Kuwait SC and thus has featured in each of their five AFC Cup campaigns. Although he plays as the second striker, Rogerinho, who was adjudged the best player in the last edition, is quite prolific too and has scored five goals in seven starts in this season’s AFC Cup.

Issam Jemaa

Tunisia’s all-time highest scorer is also this edition’s top scorer with 13 goals, which is a record for most goals in one edition since the AFC Cup was revamped in 2009. Jemaa scored seven over two legs against New Radiant in the quarters despite playing for only 106 minutes. East Bengal will need to do something special to stop him.