KUNA photo Kuwait Club players celebrate their big win over Al-Tadamon.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 3: The Zain Premier League standings remain unchanged at the summit, with Kuwait Club holding first place on 26 points and Al-Arabi close behind in second with 23. The latest round produced a flurry of goals — 20 in total — despite the opening two matches yielding just two.

In the 10th round, both Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi underlined their title credentials with emphatic victories. Kuwait overwhelmed Al-Tadamon 7–1, while Al-Arabi swept aside Al-Shabab with a commanding 5–0 win, keeping the title race firmly between the two leaders.

Kuwait Club once again dictated proceedings, showcasing its attacking strength as it continues its bid to defend the title and move closer to a record 21st league championship. Captain Yousef Nasser led the way with four goals, while Tunisian forward Yassine Khenissi also scored, maintaining his place atop the scorers’ chart and becoming Kuwait Club’s all-time leading foreign goalscorer with 79 goals, overtaking Brazilian striker Rogerio.

Al-Arabi responded strongly after recent setbacks, putting behind it the Amir Cup final defeat and last week’s narrow 2–1 win over Al-Tadamon in a postponed league fixture, as it kept the pressure firmly on the leaders.

Al-Fahaheel was the standout movers of the round, climbing four places to third on 16 points following a 4–1 victory over Al-Jahra at the newly inaugurated Naif Al-Dabbous Stadium. The new venue has proven a lucky charm, with Al-Fahaheel winning both matches played there so far. For Al-Jahra, however, the situation continues to worsen, with the side remaining on seven points.

Al-Fahaheel also benefited from Al-Qadsia’s continued struggles, as the latter was held to a scoreless draw by bottom-placed Al-Nasr. The result dropped Al-Qadsia to fifth on 15 points, while Al-Nasr collected a valuable point to move to four.

Once again, Al-Qadsia finds itself effectively out of the title race for a 10th straight season, sparking growing frustration among its supporters, who had hoped for a return to glory but are now increasingly concerned about being dragged into a relegation fight.

Further results worked in Al-Fahaheel’s favor, with Kazma and Al-Salmiya sharing a 1–1 draw. Kazma moved up to 15 points, while Al-Salmiya reached 13.

Al-Shabab slipped one place to seventh with 13 points, while Al-Tadamon’s seventh defeat of the season deepened its woes, leaving itin a precarious position, struggling to break into the top six and edging closer to the foot of the table.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff