Ten-man Kuwait Club salvages a point against Salmiya as Kazma edges Al-Nasr

Salmiya player keeps possession as a Kuwait Club player moves in to challenge him.

KUWAIT CITY, June 13: Kuwait Club was forced to settle for a point after a goalless draw away to Al-Salmiya in the 18th round of the Zain Premier League, while Kazma secured a 2-1 victory over Al-Nasr in the same round at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium.

Kuwait Club played the majority of the match with ten men after Mohammed Daham was shown a red card in the 10th minute, but the defending champions managed to hold on for a draw. The result took Kuwait Club’s tally to 44 points, leaving it just six points away from clinching its fifth consecutive league title and 21st overall, regardless of results from nearest challenger Al-Qadsia (31 points). Salmiya moved up to 30 points, remaining in fourth place.

In the other fixture, Kazma returned to winning form after back-to-back defeats against Kuwait Club and Al-Fahaheel, losing 0-2 and 2-3 respectively in the previous two rounds. The “Orange” side climbed to 30 points and strengthened its hold on third place, while Al-Nasr stayed on 16 points in eighth position.

The round began last Thursday with Al-Shabab defeating Al-Jahra 1-0 at Jahra Stadium. The win lifted Al-Shabab to 18 points in seventh place, while Al-Jahra remained bottom of the table on eight points.

The league’s championship phase (top six) will begin on Tuesday to determine the title winner and qualification spots for continental competitions. The runner-up will enter the AFC Champions League qualifying play-offs, the third-placed team will compete in the AFC Challenge Cup, and the fourth-placed side will participate in the Gulf Club Champions Cup.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff