A file photo of Al-Arabi and Al-Qadsia players in action.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 27: The semifinals of the Super Cup will be played today, with Kuwait Club facing Al-Salmiya at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium at 4:30 p.m. Fans will later witness a highly anticipated derby between Al-Qadsia and Al-Arabi at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium at 7:30 p.m.

Defending champion Kuwait Club heads into the match aiming to extend its strong run of form and maintain winning momentum. The team currently sits atop the Zain Premier League standings with 32 points, eight clear of nearest challenger, Al-Arabi, and has also secured a place in the Crown Prince Cup final.

Kuwait Club is chasing another potential “quadruple” after sweeping all domestic titles last season.

Al-Salmiya, meanwhile, will be looking to build on a morale-boosting 3–1 victory over Al-Tadamon in the previous round, which ended a difficult spell in league competition.

Today’s clash marks the second meeting between the two sides this season, following a 1–1 draw in the league. Kuwait Club had previously eliminated Al-Salmiya from last season’s Super Cup semifinals with a convincing 4–1 win.

Al-Qadsia and Al-Arabi enter the match amid inconsistent form, although Al-Arabi has enjoyed the upper hand in recent encounters without converting that advantage into silverware.

Al-Arabi has continued its dominance over Al-Qadsia in recent seasons, defeating it earlier in the league campaign and knocking it out of the Crown Prince Cup quarterfinals. The Greens will also be seeking revenge after Al-Qadsia denied them the Super Cup title last season with a narrow 1–0 victory.

Al-Qadsia, for its part, is determined to halt Al-Arabi’s winning run and claim a morale-boosting victory. It is hoping to lift the Super Cup to make amends with its supporters following its exit from the Crown Prince Cup and a significant drop in the league title race, while also facing a near-impossible task to reach the semifinals of the Gulf Champions League.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff