Ali Safar makes a save during the Arab Club Handball Championship.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 15: Kuwait Club continues to impress as host of the 40th Arab Club Handball Championship for League and Cup Winners, currently taking place at Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex and running until September 22.

The team’s goalkeepers, brothers Ali and Hassan Safar, have been standout performers, playing a decisive role in securing three straight wins in the preliminary round to give “Al-Abyad” maximum points and top spot in Group A.

Ali Safar was named the best goalkeeper of the third round with 19 saves, while Hassan had led the second round with 17 saves. In the opening round, Hassan also ranked second with 10 saves. Their consistent brilliance has made Kuwait Club’s goalkeeping a major strength, boosting hopes of reaching the final and capturing a third consecutive Arab title.

Today’s fixtures in the penultimate group stage round feature Group A clashes between Naft Al-Basra and Kazma at 4:00 p.m., followed by Kuwait Club against Syria’s Al-Shabab at 8:00 p.m. In Group B, Syria’s Al-Nawaeir faces Egypt’s Al-Ahly Bank at 2 p.m., while Al-Sulaibikhat meets Iraq’s Al-Hashd at 6:00 p.m.

Kuwaiti referees have also left their mark on the tournament. Officials Mohammed Bouyabes and Hamad Maher are part of the refereeing crew, while Ahmed Al-Mutawa — Vice Chairman of the Arab Handball Federation Referees Committee and head of Kuwait’s Referees Committee — serves as a technical committee member and tournament supervisor.

Al-Mutawa praised the performance of Kuwaiti referees, noting their high standards and the federation’s commitment to developing more officials as Kuwait prepares to host future regional and continental events. “It is a big responsibility, but I hope to represent Kuwaiti referees in the best possible way,” he said, while commending the excellent organization of the tournament.

Referee Maher added that the choice of a Kuwaiti crew reflects the strong reputation of local referees. He credited workshops and training programs organized by the federation for raising refereeing standards, stressing that current successes are the result of long-term investment.

He also praised the smooth running of the championship on both administrative and organizational levels, wishing success to all referees involved.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff