Eid Al-Rashidi’s desperate attempt to stop Kamil Al-Aswad.

KUWAIT CITY, April 29: Al-Arabi secured a place in the Crown Prince Cup final against Kuwait Club, scheduled for May 19 at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, after edging past Al-Qadsiya 1-0. Bahraini midfielder Kamil Al-Aswad scored the decisive goal. Earlier, Kuwait Club beat Kazma 4-2 to reach the final.

The "Greens previously defeated Al-Qadsiya twice in the Zain Premier League (2-1 and 4-2) but suffered a narrow loss in the Super Cup semi-final. The two sides are set to meet again this Friday in the third round of the league championship group stage.

To celebrate the win and motivate the squad, Al-Arabi Club President Abdulaziz Ashour awarded each player a KD 2,000 bonus for reaching the final.

Meanwhile, Al-Qadisiya head coach Zeljko Petrovic expressed disappointment after the loss, stating: “We didn’t deserve to lose. My players performed better than Al-Arabi, but luck wasn’t on our side.” He added that several missed chances contributed to the defeat and hinted at other unspoken factors that he would report internally.

When asked about his future with the club, Petrovic responded, “My contract ends on May 31. Whether I continue or not is up to the club. I wish it the best regardless.”

Al-Qadsiya remains in contention for silverware, having already qualified for the quarterfinals of the Emir’s Cup, with the final scheduled for June 16.

Kuwait Club’s Adel Aqla confirmed that decisions regarding contract renewals for professional players have been deferred until season's end. This decision comes under the direction of the club’s board and technical staff, led by Montenegrin coach Nebojsa Jovovic.

Among the club’s foreign players, only Congolese midfielder Malik Zola has a contract extending into next season. The contracts of Tunisian striker Taha Khenissi, Moroccan midfielders Yahya Jabrane and Amin Abu Al-Fath, and Bahraini winger Mohammed Marhoon all expire after the current campaign.

Aqla emphasized that the fate of the coaching staff would depend on the team's performance and achievements during the final stretch of the season. Kuwait SC currently leads the league by two points over Al-Arabi with three rounds to go and has also advanced to the quarterfinals of the Emir’s Cup.

Following Kazma’s defeat to Kuwait Club, goalkeeper Faisal Al-Subaie criticized Russian referee Sergei Shapin, holding him accountable for the result. “The referee disrupted the focus of our players, the substitutes, and even the fans,” Al-Subaie stated.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff