Al-Arabi players celebrate at the end of proceedings.

KUWAIT CITY, May 27: Al-Arabi secured the final spot in the Amir Cup semifinals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Al-Jahra in the last quarterfinal match held at Thamer Stadium.

With the win, Al-Arabi will now face Al-Salmiya in the first semifinal clash scheduled for Friday at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium. The other semifinal will see Al-Qadsiya take on Kuwait Club tomorrow at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium.

Al-Arabi's path to qualification was far from straightforward. The team went ahead 2-0 thanks to goals from Nigerian forward Emmanuel Iwala in the 34th minute and Bahraini international Kamil Al-Aswad in the 52nd. Al-Jahra fought back, narrowing the margin with a goal by Abdulaziz Marwi in the 61st minute, but couldn't find the equalizer.

This marks Al-Arabi's second challenge in the tournament after a tough preliminary round against First Division side Sulaibikhat, where it advanced on penalties (4-3) following a 2-2 draw after extra time.

Al-Jahra head coach Mohammed Dahilis announced he would step down at the end of the season, describing his experience with the team as "beautiful and convincing."

Under Dahilis’ leadership, Al-Jahra earned promotion to the Zain Premier League by topping the Zain First Division League and made a commendable run in the Amir Cup, including a win over Kazma in the preliminary round. Reflecting on the loss to Al-Arabi, he said, “We conceded from two mistakes. Al-Arabi is a strong team and deserved to win.”

Club President Yousef Karim revealed that Al-Jahra will begin preparations for the upcoming season soon. “We will develop a comprehensive plan to avoid repeating past mistakes,” he stated, praising the efforts of the club’s technical, administrative, and medical teams, as well as the players.

Al-Arabi player Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi expressed gratitude to head coach Nasser Al-Shatti for trusting him in the starting lineup. “That trust gives me the confidence to give everything I have,” he said.

Al-Awadhi, who previously played as a striker for Al-Yarmouk, emphasized his readiness to play any role needed for Al-Arabi. “I’m fully committed to the team and will give my utmost to help us compete for every title.”

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff