Malkiya came into the match on the back of three unbeaten games, while Qadsia were eyeing their first-ever AFC Cup triumph against Bahraini opponents.
The visitors were quick off the blocks, with Al Mutawa firing wide inside four minutes, before his second effort announced an early lead for Qadsia.
The veteran collected a neat backheeled pass from Yousef Naser and placed a left-footed shot into the bottom corner to open the scoring just seven minutes into the game.
Saleh Al Hendi was sent through after an Al Mutawa through pass a minute later, but goalkeeper Yusuf Hasan was quick off his line and caught Al Hendi’s shot.
After the initial spell of pressure from Qadsia, the hosts regrouped and got their first chance through Isa Abdulbari who received Hashim Isa’s cross and tried to finish from a narrow angle, but defender Amer Al Fadhel threw his body at the ball to make the block.
Qadsia’s attacking duo combined again to deliver the Kuwaitis’ second of the night. Al Mutawa exchanged a one-two with Naser whose return pass sent the number 17 clear on goal.
Despite the narrow angle, Al Mutawa finished expertly to net his 30th AFC Cup goal. The Qadsia legend became only the third player in the competition’s history to reach this milestone. He is now two goals behind the AFC Cup’s all-time top scorer Mahamoud Shelbaieh and one behind Rico.
Malkiya however, gave themselves a glimmer of hope when Qadsia defender Khaled Ibrahim dwelled on the ball, allowing Hassan Helal to dispossess him down the right flank and move into the box before squaring for Abdulbari who was left with a simple tap-in to half the deficit before the break.
The result ignites the race for qualification to the knock-out stages as Qadsia move up to seven points, level with Malkiya who edge them to second place on the account of a better goal-difference. Lebanon’s Al Ahed are top of the group with eight points.
Qadsia host Al Ahed on April 29, while Malkiya welcome bottom side Al Suwaiq on the same day on Matchday Five.
