KUWAIT CITY, Feb 29: Today marks the commencement of the seventeenth round of the Zain Premier League, featuring a match between Al-Shabab and Khaitan at Al-Awal Stadium at 6:15 pm. Tomorrow, the action continues with Al-Jahra hosting Al-Nasr at 4:55 pm, and Al-Qadisiya faces Al-Salmiya at 7:35 pm. The round concludes on Sunday with two matchups: Kazma versus Al-Fahaheel and the highly anticipated encounter between Al-Arabi and Kuwait Club.

The clash between Al-Shabab and Khaitan today holds significance for both teams aiming to accumulate points for a stronger position in the impending "avoid relegation" league. Al-Shabab enters with 14 points, while Khaitan has 9 points.

Al-Qadisiya fans are keenly watching tomorrow's match against Al-Salmiya, hoping to end their bad run after three consecutive matches without a win. Al-Qadisiya coach, Dr. Muhammad Al-Mashaan, faces pressure with the team standing at 33 points, 6 points behind leaders Al-Arabi and 4 points behind second-placed Kuwait. To stay in the title race, Al-Qadisiyah must secure a victory, especially with a crucial summit meeting scheduled the day after tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Al-Salmiya, with 24 points, continues to seek positive results, playing without pressure as they have secured a spot in the Six-League League. They are also gearing up for the Amir’s Cup final against Al-Qadisiya.Notably, the two teams previously tied 1-1 in their initial encounter.

In the second match, Al-Nasr, with 21 points, aims to recover from recent losses, notably the 6-3 defeat to Al-Arabi in the sixteenth round. On the other hand, Al-Jahra, with 5 points, seeks its second victory in the competition after defeating Al-Shabab 5-0 in the previous round.

Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff