Al-Qadsia looking for a strong start in His Highness the Crown Prince Cup

KUWAIT CITY, Nov 30: This evening marks the culmination of the preliminary round of the His Highness the Crown Prince Cup Championship for the 2023-2024 sports season, featuring two exciting matches. The first clash between Al-Qadsia and Al-Fahaheel is scheduled for 4:00 pm at the Friendship and Peace Stadium. Subsequently, the second match will see Khaitan facing off against Al-Sahel at 7:15 pm at Al-Shabab Stadium.

On Saturday, two more matches are set to unfold. Burgan will compete against Al-Salmiya at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium at 4:00 pm, while Sulaibikhat will take on Al-Tadamon at Abdullah Al-Khalifa Stadium at 7:15 pm.

The anticipated showdown between Al-Kuwait and Al-Nasr has been rescheduled for December 18. Additionally, the defending champion, Al-Arabi, is exempted from participating in this round, awaiting the winner between Al-Shabab and Yarmouk.

Today's first encounters see Al-Qadsia aiming for a strong start to contend for a title absent from its grasp since the 2017-2018 season. Winning this coveted title would mark a significant achievement, breaking the tie with Al-Kuwait and Al-Arabi, both having secured the championship nine times each. Despite Al-Qadsia's commendable performance in the Zain Premier League, securing the second spot with 16 points, some fans express dissatisfaction, particularly following a recent 1-1 draw with Al Salmiya in the league's eighth round.

Conversely, Al-Fahaheel is grappling with a decline in performance and seeks redemption in today's match. The last encounter between these two teams in the Crown Prince Cup dates back to the 2018-2019 season, with Al-Qadsia emerging victorious with a 3-0 win, mirroring the outcome of their recent league clash in the third round.

The second match presents a balanced face-off between Al-Sahel and Khaitan. In their previous four encounters in the Zain League for the first division two seasons ago, both teams secured victory twice.

Looking ahead to Saturday's matches, Al-Salmiya appears poised for success against Burgan, given their impressive performance in the league. Meanwhile, Burgan harbors hopes of springing a surprise. Notably, Al Salmiya dominated their previous Crown Prince Cup meeting, defeating Burgan 8-1.

In the clash between Al-Tadamon and Sulaibikhat, the "Sons of Farwaniya" aspire to extend their positive streak in the current season. Topping the Zain League for the first division, they also aim to reinforce their superiority over Sulaibikhat, having already defeated them twice in the league this season with scores of 1-0 and 3-0.

 Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff