JEDDAH, 5 November 2003 — Al-Ahli of Jeddah joined Ittihad and Hilal on the roster of Arab League Championship after thumping visitors Qadisiya of Kuwait, 1-0.

The match was played at Jeddah’s Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium on Monday night.

Ahli needed one point to qualify for the next round of the championship. If they had drawn goalless or lost 1-0 they would have qualified on better goal average.

But it was Ahli’s night as they maintained their lead and showed the visitors their soccer skill.

Striker Kem Diaz took the honor this time as he scored the only goal in the 81st minute of the game.

Qadisiya, meanwhile, did their best to clinch the equalizer, but they were met by the tough Ahli defense wall.

Ahli won their first game 2-1 against the visitors in a game in Kuwait.

Wenger Wary of Arsenal’s Big Night Nerves

In London Colney, England, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is urging his side not to succumb to nerves during today’s crunch Champions League at home to Dynamo Kiev.

Bottom of Group B with just one point from three games, having lost 2-1 in Kiev a fortnight ago, Arsenal must win at Highbury to have a realistic chance of reaching the knockout stages of the competition.

Though Wenger said he was relaxed personally, the Frenchman is well aware of the demands facing his side, who have won only one of their last 12 Champions League matches.

“I think it’s most important to deal with nerves and not feel too much under pressure,” Wenger told Reuters yesterday. “We need to focus on the quality of our performance.”

“No matter what is at stake, the only important thing is to play well.”

Top of the English Premier League, where his side are unbeaten, Wenger remains frustrated by their fortunes in Europe.

“I really think we’ve been unlucky in nearly every (Champions League) game,” he said. “It’s just up to us to be consistent and turn things around.”

He said the emphasis would be on teamwork to achieve this, rather than simply relying on striker Thierry Henry — who has scored 12 goals in 18 appearances for the club this season — to deliver.

“Of course the team is dependent on Thierry Henry. But overall the team is dependent on a big performance, on team performance, when the team performs well Thierry Henry has more chances to score.”

Midfielder Fredrik Ljungberg was upbeat about the task ahead.

“It’s a big game for us — normally we play better with our backs against the wall,” he told reporters.