Players are fighting for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, June 24: The semifinal stage of the 57th Handball Association Cup will take place today at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex in Sabah Al-Salem.

The action begins at 5:00 pm, with defending champion Kuwait Club facing Salmiya at 6:30 pm. Kazma, who finished third in the Premier League, will go head-to-head with Al-Qadsiya, the First Division champion.

The winners will advance to the final, scheduled for next Saturday, while the losing teams will compete in the third-place match on the same day.

Kuwait Club secured its semifinal berth after defeating Al-Qurain 38–30 in the quarterfinals.

Salmiya booked its place by overcoming Al-Nasr 36–31 in the preliminary round, then beating Al-Yarmouk 33–29 in the quarterfinals.

Kazma advanced by defeating Al-Sulaibikhat 41–31 in their quarterfinal encounter.

Al-Qadsiya reached the semis by first beating Al-Fahaheel 33–24 in the preliminaries, then edging Premier League runner-up Burgan 30–28 in a close quarterfinal.

Kuwait Club, under the guidance of coach Saeed Hejazi, is aiming for a historic treble this season, having already secured the Super Cup and the league title. A win in this tournament would mark their 11th consecutive title and 14th overall.

On the other hand, Salmiya, led by national team coach Yaqoub Al-Mousawi, is eager to challenge the reigning champion and secure a spot in the final as it chases cup glory.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff