Al-Ula claimed a convincing 93:79 victory over Kuwait in the WASL tournament on Sunday. The home side controlled proceedings from the opening tip, building an early lead that never really wavered despite the visitors' attempts to close the gap. Kuwait's offensive rhythm never quite clicked, while Al-Ula's balanced attack proved too much to handle.
The hosts arrived in decent form, having lost their previous outing 78:82 to Al-Riyadi but showing flashes of their potential with a 99:84 win over Shahrdari Gorgan. Kuwait came in with mixed results, including a narrow 82:83 defeat to Al-Riyadi and a tough 106:101 victory over Indian Railways. Neither side looked particularly sharp in their warm-up matches, but the difference showed on the court.
We had backed Kuwait to triumph with 69 per cent confidence, but the match followed a different trajectory entirely. The visitors never really threatened to take control, while Al-Ula's defensive intensity disrupted Kuwait's usual flow. It wasn't a tactical masterclass, but rather a case of the home side executing their game plan with more conviction.
The result leaves Al-Ula with momentum heading into their next fixture, while Kuwait will need to regroup after another disappointing performance. Both teams remain in the middle of the pack with plenty of games left to define their campaigns.
