KUWAIT CITY, Aug 20: Amidst the hot and humid conditions, the third round of the Zain Premier League kicks off today with a highly anticipated match between traditional rivals Al-Arabi and Al-Qadisiya at Sabah Al-Salem Stadium set to begin at 8:15 pm. The round continues on Thursday with two matches with Al-Salmiya facing Al-Tadamon at Thamer Stadium, and Al-Nasr hosting Kazma. Kuwait Club takes on Khaitan at Al-Sadaka Wal Salam Stadium and Al-Yarmouk plays Al-Fahaheel on Friday.

Currently, Kuwait Club leads the standings with 6 points after a 3-0 victory over Al-Fahaheel, edging out Al-Arabi on goal difference. Al-Salmiya, Al-Fahaheel, Al-Qadisiya, Kazma, and Khaitan are all tied with 3 points each, while Al-Tadamon and Al-Yarmouk have 1 point, and Al-Nasr remain without points. The league is to pause after this round, following Kuwait's two crucial World Cup qualifiers against Jordan.|

The last five encounters between Al-Arabi and Al-Qadisiya have ended in draws. Al-Arabi’s last victory over Al-Qadisiya was in April 2023, with a 2-0 win, while Al-Qadisiya’s most recent win came in March 2023 with a 2-1 victory.

Al-Arabi started their league campaign strongly with a 2-0 win over Kazma and a hard-fought 3-2 victory against Al-Tadamon. Al-Qadisiyah, however, began with a 0-1 defeat to Kuwait Club but bounced back against Al-Yarmouk.

Despite the absence of key Al-Arabi players, including Moroccan Hamza Khaba, Sultan Al-Enezi, and Hassan Hamdan, and Al-Qadisiya's recent underwhelming performances, the derby remains crucial as both teams are eager to demonstrate their prowess and pursue the title that has eluded them for years.

Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff