By Chidi Emmanuel

KUWAIT: The Kuwait national football team beat Nepal 4-1 on Saturday in the first group competitions of the Asian Cup qualifiers to revive their hopes. In the match that was held at Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium, the Kuwait national team dominated the match in the first and second half. Kuwait’s Fahd Hammoud scored the first goal in the 28th minute.

In the second half, Kuwait’s Youssef Nasser scored in the 48th and 70th minutes while Mubarak Al-Fenini sealed it in the 73rd minute. With this victory, the Kuwait team have grabbed their first three points, while Nepal remained without any point. Kuwait and Nepal are in the same group (Group A) while Indonesia and Jordan played in another match on Saturday.

Reacting to the match, Ahmed Khaled praised Kuwait’s team for their wonderful performance. “They played very well today. It was very wonderful. I am proud of our team,” he told Kuwait Times with all smiles. Meanwhile, Sheikh Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium - a multi-purpose stadium - was packed with Kuwait fans who were singing and cheering their team. “We are very happy. It would have been humiliating if Nepal won in our country. Although they (Nepal team) tried their best, Kuwait team played better,” Reem, a Kuwaiti lady said.

Some of the few Nepali fans expressed their disappointment. “I was expecting Nepal to beat Kuwait. I feel it would be easier to beat Kuwait than Indonesia and Jordan. Actually, Kuwait team played very well today, they deserved to win, Nepal expat, Abhinav said. “We still have hope. We will try and beat Indonesia, for us to qualify. I would have loved Nepal to beat Kuwait here (in Kuwait). That would have been better,” another Nepalese expat Anish Badal told Kuwait Times.

KUWAIT: Paramedics attend to Nepal’s coach Abdullah Al-Shalahi who collapsed during the Asian Cup qualifiers on Saturday.

In another development, Nepal’s national coach Abdullah Al-Shalahi suffered a heart attack during the match. He was later rushed to Farwaniya Hospital for medical treatment.