KUWAIT CITY , Dec 6: Today marks the conclusion of the ninth round of the Zain Premier League with two exciting matches. The first clash is set between Kuwait Club and Al-Nasr at the Friendship and Peace Stadium at 5:00 pm. Following that, the Thamer Stadium will host the face-off between Al-Arabi and Kazma at 10:08 pm.

Both Kuwait and Al-Arabi enter these encounters with multiple aspirations. The two teams are eager to secure a fresh victory and reclaim the top spot, which Al-Qadsia currently holds with 19 points. Al-Qadsia secured this lead after Al-Arayedh's clean 4-point victory over Al-Shabab  , creating a two-point gap between them and both Kuwait and Al-Arabi.

Kuwait has faced challenges in recent matches, both domestically and in the AFC Cup, leading to the immediate dismissal of Serbian coach Boris Bunjak after a 3-0 defeat by Al-Arabi in the eighth round. The team will now be led by Tunisian assistant coach Karim Bouzaghba until the arrival of Nabil Maaloul. The objective for "Al-Abyad" is to regain the winning momentum and reclaim the top spot from "Yellow," while restoring confidence to players who have experienced recent setbacks.

On the other side, Al-Nasr, led by coach Zaher Al-Adwani, aims for a third consecutive victory after defeating Al-Arabi and Al-Jahra 3-1 and 3-0 in the last two rounds. However, they acknowledge the challenge ahead against a formidable opponent.

In the second encounter, Al-Arabi, under Bosnian coach Darko Nestorovic, seeks to build on the morale boost from their last-round victory over former leaders Kuwait. Despite the absence of key players due to suspension or injury in recent times, Darko effectively utilized his squad in the last round, with the team displaying an impressive performance and returning to the path of victories in the title race.

Conversely, Kazma, with 13 points, faces a period of instability with four victories, three defeats, and one draw. Their performance in the preliminary round of the Crown Prince Cup was less convincing, narrowly defeating Al-Fahaheel 4-3. Today, they aim to achieve multiple goals by halting their Arab competitor and positioning themselves as contenders for the league title.

Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff