Qadsia thrashes Salmiya in Zain League warm-up game

Qadsia and Salmiya players vie for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, Oct 5: Qadsia’s Omani international Nasser Al-Rawahi will rejoin the club on Wednesday after completing his international duty with Oman at the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup, which concludes in Jeddah today.

Oman was knocked out in the semifinals after a 1-0 defeat to the UAE.

Al-Rawahi was one of Oman’s standout players at the tournament, scoring three goals in four matches.

Meanwhile, Qadsia swept aside Salmiya 5-1 in a friendly at Thamer Stadium on Monday as both sides stepped up preparations for the resumption of the Zain Premier League.

Youngster Abdulwahab Al-Shallal starred for Qadsia, scoring twice, including an impressive lob. Khaled Al-Kharqawi, Eid Al-Rashidi and Abdulaziz Wadi added the other goals, while Abdullah Al-Yousuf scored Salmiya’s lone goal.

Salmiya’s players also marked the birthday of their Bahraini coach Ali Ashoor during the friendly.

Qadsia returns to league action against Tadamon on Saturday, while Salmiya faces Shabab on the same day.

Qadsia sits third on six points, one behind joint leaders Kazma and Kuwait Club, while Salmiya is fifth, also on six points.

Qadsia will also host Group C of the AFC Challenge League from October 17 to 23, featuring Goa of India, Bangladesh’s Fortis and Tajikistan’s Regar-TadAZ.

The Kuwait Football Association has released the schedules for rounds four through eight, with the league set to pause from November 8 to 18 for the FIFA international window.

Two fifth-round matches — Qadsia vs Sahel and Al-Arabi vs Salmiya — will be postponed because Qadsia and Al-Arabi participated in the AFC Challenge League.

The Kuwait Club-Kazma clash in round seven will also be postponed due to Kuwait Club’s participation in the AFC Champions League and Kazma’s involvement in the Gulf Champions League.

Round four will be played over three days. Friday’s matches feature Al-Nasr against Kuwait Club and Kazma against Al-Arabi. On Saturday, Tadamon meets Qadsia, and Salmiya faces Shabab, while Sahel takes on Fahaheel, and Sulaibikhat meets Jahra on Sunday.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff