JEDDAH, 3 June 2005 — Saudi Arabia aim to use the home field advantage to their favor when they face Kuwait in a crucial Group A World Cup qualifying match today.
Although they have never beaten the Kuwaitis in four matches at home the hosts start as sentimental favorites when they clash at the King Fahd International Stadium.
Saudi Arabia are currently in second place with 5 points from three matches having won against South Korea 2-0 in Dammam and drawn against Uzbekistan 1-1 in Uzbekistan and Kuwait 0-0 in Kuwait.
Kuwait are in third place with 4 points from three matches. They won against Uzbekistan, lost against Korea and a drew against the Saudis.
Korea will try to earn at least a tie for a spot in the World Cup finals in Germany with a victory against Uzbekistan in another Group A battle.
South Korea are on top of the group with six points from two wins and one loss, while Uzbekistan are in last place with one point from a draw against Saudi Arabia and two losses against Korea and Kuwait.
The Saudi national team have no better option but to secure the full three points if they are to make a fourth trip to the World Cup finals.
Up next for the Saudis is another home match against Uzbekistan in Riyadh.
The Saudi national team coach Argentinian Gabriel Calderon excluded two players for the Kuwait match. Naif Al-Ghadi from Al-Ahli and Muhammad Amin from Al-Ittihad had been sidelined due to injury.
Khaled Al-Gurooni, a local Saudi coach, said the Saudi team will be banking heavily on captain Sami Al-Jaber the team captain and striker Yasser Al-Qahtani.
Talal Al-Meshal is expected to help Al-Qahtani in offense. The defense line will be up against Kuwaiti strikers Badr Al-Mutawa and Bashar Abdullah.
