Manama: Kuwait's government has reinforced its ascendance over parliament, beating them 3-2 in their annual football match.
The government has now won five of the eight matches between the two teams in a tradition that sees ministers and lawmakers setting aside an evening to compete in sport, not politics, during Ramadan.
In a pre-match statement, Shaikh Ahmad Al Abdullah, information and oil minister, said that the game was an indication of the brotherly relations and positive atmosphere between ministers and MPs.
"The atmosphere is friendly between our two authorities, the biggest proof of that is that the MPs passed the development plan," he said, quoted by the Kuwait Times.
For MP Waleed Al Tabtabai, the match was a good opportunity to compete against the government.
"In the National Assembly we have raised the white flag. I hope we will win here," he said.
The government's team, wearing blue jerseys, was made up of Shaikh Ahmad, Badr Al Shuraian, Minister of Electricity and Water, Hilal Al Sayer, Minister of Health, Fadil Safar, Minister of Municipality Affairs, and Abdul Latif Al Roudhan and Fawaz Al Fadil from the Cabinet ministry.
The lawmakers, in orange outfits, fielded former MP Mohammad Al Sager and current MPs Ali Al Umeir, Abdul Rahman Al Anjery, Saleh Al Mulla, Marzoug Al Ganem, Khalid Al Tahoos, and Waleed Al Tabtabai.
Waleed Al Nisf, editor-in-chief of the Al Qabas daily, was the referee.
Former MP Jasem Al Kandery, and organiser of the match, played for the government team and scored in the first half.
The government's merciless onslaught was materialised by Al Fadil who put the ball twice in the back of the net and gave the team a three-goal advantage by the end of the first half.
However, Al Ganem in the second half led the lawmakers' comeback, netting twice and bringing the score to a more decent outlook.
Following the game, Al Shuraian said that the score proved there was tough competition between the two teams.
"A 3-2 score shows that there is an honest and friendly competition between the executive and legislative authorities," he said.
The minister said that the "strategically arranged positions resulted in the formation of a good team."
"Fadil Safar is a very good goalkeeper and I played defence. Shaikh Ahmad Al Abdullah played well as a centre forward."
However, MP Al Tahoos said that the government won the match because they had help from ‘professionals.’
"There were professional players playing with the government," he joked. "We will have our revenge when we meet again in the Abdullah Al Salem hall in the National Assembly," he said.
According to the MP, the real success of the event is that it takes place in a friendly atmosphere.
"This is part of the nature of the Kuwaitis, be it in the friendly atmosphere of diwaniyas during Ramadan or such fun activities," he said.
Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah, the first deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Defence, handed out the cup to the winners.
