Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Kuwait City: Firas Al Khatib made an emphatic return to Kuwaiti football on Tuesday as the Syria international striker scored twice in Al Qadsia's 4-0 victory over fellow AFC Cup 2012 qualifiers Kuwait Sports Club in the second-leg of their Emir's Cup quarter-final clash.
Al Khatib, who was previously plied his trade with Umm Salal in neighbouring Qatar, opened the scoring in the 18th minute as Al Qadsia cancelled out the 1-0 deficit from the first-leg before adding a second with six minutes of the first-half remaining.
It was a welcome return for the 2010/11 Kuwait league top scorer who also netted eight goals for Al Qadsia in the 2011 AFC Cup having also been part of the squad that reached the final of the previous year's edition of the continental club competition.
Abdulaziz Al Misha'an made it 3-1on aggregate in the 69th minute with Algeria international midfielder Lazhar Hadj Aissa netted Al Qadsia's fourth just 60 seconds later.
Kuwait SC had a chance to get a foothold back in the quarter-final when they were awarded a 76th minute penalty only for Hussain Hakem to miss from the spot before the 27-year-old defender, who scored the opening goal as Kuwait SC defeated Syria's Al Karamah 2-1 to win the 2009 AFC Cup, was sent off just 60 seconds later.
Kuwait SC, who missed out on a second continental title after losing the 2011 final to Uzbek side Nasaf, begin their 2012 AFC Cup Group B quest on March 7 with their opponents being determined by the results of the 2012 AFC Champions League playoffs while Al Khatib's Al Qadsia play their Group A curtain-raiser on March 6 when the 2006 AFC Champions League semi-finalists host Oman outfit Al Suwaiq.