A file photo of players challenging for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 26: Qadsia and Salmiya will both be chasing a much-needed win when they meet at 6:45 p.m. tonight at Thamer Stadium in the sixth round of the Zain Premier League.

Salmiya (9 points) dropped from second to fourth place after a 3-1 defeat to Al-Arabi in the previous round — its second loss of the season — ending a three-match winning streak.

Head coach Mohammed Dhahilis will be aiming to take advantage of Qadsia’s recent struggles to guide his “Sky Blues” back on track and keep them within reach of the leading pack. A victory would temporarily move Salmiya back into second place, especially as the matches between Al-Arabi and Al-Tadamon, and Kuwait Club and Fahaheel have been postponed due to Al-Arabi and Kuwait Club’s participation in the AFC Challenge League.

On the other hand, Qadsia (7 points) faces a must-win situation if it wants to keep its title hopes alive after nine years without a league crown. Any further slip could widen the gap with leaders Kuwait Club (13 points), making the title race much tougher.

Tunisian coach Nabil Maaloul knows his team can’t afford any more dropped points following a difficult stretch of results. He has urged his players to end the losing streak and rediscover their winning form, despite the injuries and absences that have recently hit the squad.

Qadsia’s recent run has been disappointing, with four defeats in their last outings — losing 1-2 to Kuwait SC and 0-1 to Kazma in league play, and suffering continental losses to Zakho of Iraq (1-3) and Al-Ain of the UAE (0-1) in the GCC Clubs Champions League.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff