Nasser Al-Shatti

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 20: Al-Arabi tightened the race at the top of the Zain Premier League by defeating traditional rival Qadsia 2-1 in a thrilling ninth-round clash, reclaiming second place with 17 points. The loss dropped Qadsia to third place with 14 points, while Al-Arabi benefited from Kuwait’s 1-1 draw with Al-Salmiya, narrowing the gap to just three points behind the leaders.

Under the guidance of coach Nasser Al-Shatti, Al-Arabi secured a crucial victory, boosting their title hopes after trailing by five points before the round. Al-Shatti recently returned to the club following the dismissal of Portuguese coach Marco Felis in November.

League leader Kuwait Club, with 20 points, maintained its unbeaten record after a late equalizer against Al-Salmiya, who initially took the lead in the first third of the match. Kuwait Club continues to march toward its 21st league title and fifth consecutive championship.

Meanwhile, Qadsia faces ongoing instability, suffering its third straight defeat, which significantly diminishes its chances of claiming a title it has not won in nine seasons, now sitting six points behind the leader.

Al-Salmiya, despite drawing with the top team, dropped to sixth place with 12 points, while Al-Shabab capitalized on the situation, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Al-Jahra to rise to fourth place with 13 points.

Al-Fahaheel marked a historic moment by defeating Al-Tadamun 1-0 in their first match at the new Naif Al-Dabbous Stadium, climbing to fifth place with 13 points.

Struggling teams Al-Jahra (7 points) and Al-Tadamon (5 points) continue to face challenges as the season progresses, but plenty of matches remain to reshape the standings.

With league action concluding, Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi have turned their focus to the 2024–2025 Amir Cup final, set to take place the day after tomorrow at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. Fans can expect a highly competitive showdown between the league’s top teams.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff