KUWAIT CITY, March 14: Al-Arabi reclaimed the top spot in the Zain Premier League after securing a vital victory over Al-Nasr with a 3-1 scoreline in the opening round of the championship group, also known as the League of Six. This ascendancy was facilitated by Kuwait Club, the former frontrunners were held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Fahaheel.

Despite a draw against Al-Fahaheel in the seventeenth round, Al-Abyad, the defending champions, were not entirely satisfied with their position, slipping to second place with 44 points. Meanwhile, Al-Arabi surged ahead with 45 points, leaving Al-Fahaheel tied with Al-Nasr and Salmiya at 24 points.

Al-Arabi seized control early in their match, with Bandar Salama netting a goal in the fourth minute, followed by Ayman extending the lead in the 37th minute, concluding the first half at 2-0. The dominance continued in the second half as Algerian Imad Eddine Abu Bakr's header secured their third goal, with Al-Nasr managing a consolation goal in stoppage time through Colombian Hancel Zapata.

In the clash between Kuwait Club and Al-Fahaheel, Kuwait's early lead from a penalty kick was nullified by Al-Fahaheel's late equalizer in the 88th minute, resulting from Brazilian Vitor's cross deflecting off defender Fahad Hammoud into the net.

Elsewhere, Al-Qadisiya displayed a dominant performance, securing a 4-0 victory over Al-Salmiya, narrowing the gap with the league leaders to three points and trailing second-placed Kuwait by two points. Consequently, Al-Salmiya dropped to sixth place in the standings.

Firas Al-Khatib, the Syrian coach of Al-Fahaheel, highlighted his team's near-victory against Kuwait, emphasizing their participation in the League of Six for the enjoyment of football without undue pressure. He expressed his team's ambition to secure fourth place and viewed the matches against top teams as an opportunity to assess their current standing in the season.

Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff