Substitute Zoran Marušić scored a goal with a perfect header in the 83rd minute, giving Uzbekistan's Neftchi a 1-0 victory over its guest, Al-Quwa Al-Iraqi, on Monday, in the match hosted by the Istiklal Stadium in the Uzbek city of Fergana, within the first round of the league stage of the Western Region competitions in the AFC Champions League for Elite Football.
The fatal goal caused Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya to suffer a bitter loss, even though it was the most dangerous and best offensive side for most of the match, but bad luck and lack of effectiveness in front of goal prevented its attempts from being translated into goals.
The match referee canceled a goal in favor of Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya due to a foul inside the penalty area while executing a free kick in the second half.
With this victory, Neftchi spoiled the start of the three-time AFC Cup champion in the continental championship, to which the Uzbek team returns after an absence of two decades since its confrontation with Al Karama in May 2007, maintaining its unbeaten record against Iraqi clubs.
This result increases the difficulty of the task of the Iraqi team, which is seeking to correct its slow start in the journey of defending its title in the Iraq Stars League, and aspires to go far in the major continental competition.
The tournament will be held in a league stage system, where each team will play eight matches, with the best eight clubs from each region qualifying to the round of 16 scheduled for March 2027, in preparation for competing in the final rounds in the group system in Saudi Arabia.
The Kuwait Football Association announced that the Japanese authorities and the organizing committee of the Asian Games refused entry to Japan for three Olympic team players, despite issuing them cards as an “entry visa.”
The “Al-Ittihad” explained that the players are: Abdul Rahman Ajaj, Ali Hassan, and Nasser Khadr, indicating that it completed all necessary procedures in coordination with the “Kuwait Olympic Committee” for their entry into Japan.
The Federation confirmed that it had fulfilled all the requirements and documents required on time and in the correct manner, and sent them to the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee, which officially communicated with the organizing committee and obtained the cards, stressing that there was no negligence on the Kuwaiti side.
He explained that the Federation and the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee dealt with the requirements in accordance with the rules and regulations in force in all tournaments.
The Kuwaiti Federation stated that the tournament is being held under the umbrella of the Olympic Council of Asia, whose direct dealings are with the Olympic committees and not with the federations.
Lebanese driver Roger Feghali continued his dominance of the Lebanon International Rally, the fourth stage of the Middle East Rally Championship, after winning his title for the nineteenth time in its history, thus enhancing his record, riding a Toyota GR Yaris.
Feghali covered the distance of the only asphalt race in the regional championship, amounting to 678.29 km, of which 197.91 km were the length of the 11 special speed stages, with a time of 1:52.07 hours, in front of his compatriots Basil Abu Hamdan, riding a “Skoda Fabia RS”, and Elias Al-Dahni, also riding a “Skoda Fabia RS”, in second and third places, respectively.
The race was attended by Emirati President of the International Automobile Federation (FIA), Mohammed bin Sulayem, who has previously won the Lebanese race title four times as a driver.
Saudi Hamza Bakhshab was supposed to participate in the race, but he did not attend, and Qatari Nasser Khalifa Al-Attiyah was forced to withdraw for special reasons, while Qatari Nasser Saleh Al-Attiyah, who won the Lebanese title twice previously, did not participate.
The Lebanese Karl Rizk came fourth on board the Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 10, and his compatriot Tareq Younis came fifth on board the Skoda Fabia. The banner participation was the Lebanese driver Raya Dagher, who came sixth on board the Renault Clio.
The best result for non-Lebanese was for Jordanian Shaker Jouhan, who came tenth aboard a Mitsubishi Lancer, his compatriot Sami Fleifel came in fourteenth place aboard a Mitsubishi Lancer, and Omani Zakaria Al Amri came in fifteenth place aboard a Subaru Impreza.
