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.