Kuwait and Jordan drew 1-1 in their West Asia Football Federation Championship (WAFF) Group B game at Erbil’s Franso Hariri Stadium on Wednesday night.
Midfielder Faisal Zaid Al-Harbi scored a penalty for the Kuwaitis just three minutes after kick-off. Jordanian defender Salem Al-Ajalin dashed Kuwaitis hopes after an injury time goal during the second half.
With four points, Kuwait tops the Group B stage, which includes Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. Bahrain, which also has four points, comes second due to goal difference.
The Kuwaiti government on Saturday donated 60 prosthetic legs to Iraqis who lost limbs during the war with the Islamic State (ISIS).
As part of the “Kuwait is With You” campaign, the Kuwaiti Consul General to Erbil Omer al-Kandari distributed the artificial limbs and later took part in a friendly football match with recipients at the Handren Club stadium in Erbil.
The WAFF 2019 Championship is hosted by Iraq.
With six points, the Iraqi national side tops Group A, which includes Lebanon, Palestine, Syria, and Yemen. Group A matches are taking place at Karbala International Stadium.
The two top teams of each group will qualify for the final.
FIFA, the international governing body of association football, lifted the ban on Iraqi stadiums hosting international matches on March 16, 2018. Erbil, Karbala, and Basra each have stadiums capable of hosting international level games.
The ban was imposed after Saddam Hussein’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. FIFA lifted the ban in 2012, but reinstated it after a power outage at Erbil stadium during a match between Iraq and Jordan.
Photos by Mohammed Shwani