Marhoon stars as Kuwait Club snatches late win over Qadsia

Kuwait Club and Qadsia players vie for the ball during the Zain Premier League match.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 1: Defending champion Kuwait Club secured its first victory of the Zain Premier League season after defeating Qadsia 1-0 in the headline clash of the second round at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium.

Bahraini forward Mohammed Marhoon scored the only goal of the match in the final minute to give Kuwait Club all three points.

The victory lifted Kuwait’s tally to four points, while Qadsia remained on three.

The two sides shared control of the match, with Qadsia imposing its style in the first half and creating several chances, but failing to find the net. Kuwait Club took control after the break and eventually got its reward after sustained pressure, beating Qadsia goalkeeper Hamid Al-Qallaf, who produced an excellent performance despite the defeat.

Kuwait Club coach Firas Al-Khatib described the victory as an “important win,” particularly because it came against a strong opponent following his side’s 1-1 draw with Al-Arabi in the opening round.

“Taking four points against Qadsia and Al-Arabi is excellent,” he said, stressing that beating the Yellow side was far from easy.

He added that the team’s disciplined organization, particularly in the second half, played a key role in securing the important victory, while expressing hope that Kuwait Club would continue to improve in the coming period.

Al-Khatib also highlighted the importance of Saturday’s third-round meeting with Al-Jahra.

“This season is not easy. Every point is important for the team. Raising our level of concentration is essential as we continue our pursuit of retaining the title,” he said.

“Every match is a final. The league is divided into two stages, unlike previous seasons, so collecting points is essential to maintaining our progress toward another title,” he added.

He said the team’s focus would immediately turn to Al-Jahra, who produced an impressive performance in the latest round and defeated Al-Arabi.

Sulaibikhat earned a point after holding Al-Shabab to a 1-1 draw in a match played two days ago at Abdullah Al-Khalifa Stadium.

Al-Shabab took the lead through Omar Al-Habeiter in the sixth minute of first-half stoppage time, but Sulaibikhat equalized through Mubarak Saeed in the 70th minute.

Sulaibikhat played the second half with 10 men after Ali Taher was sent off for receiving a second yellow card.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff