Players battling for the ball.

KUWAIT CITY, Dec 30: The 10th round of the Zain Premier League gets underway today with two matches on the schedule. Kazma faces Al-Salmiya at Friendship and Peace Stadium at 4:10 pm, followed by Al-Qadsia taking on Al-Nasr at Thamer Stadium at 6:40 pm.

The round continues tomorrow with a single fixture, as Al-Fahaheel meet Al-Jahra at Naif Al-Dabbous Stadium at 5:30 pm. The round will conclude on Friday with two encounters, featuring Kuwait Club against Al-Tadhamon, and Al-Shabab versus Al-Arabi.

At the top of the table, Kuwait Club leads with 23 points, closely followed by Al-Arabi on 20 points. The battle remains intense in the mid-table positions, with Kazma sitting third on 14 points, level with Al-Qadsia, while Al-Shabab and Al-Fahaheel have 13 points each, Al-Salmiya holds 12 points, Al-Jahra have 7 points, Al-Tadhamon 5 points, and Al-Nasr remains bottom with 3 points.

In the opening match, Kazma and Al-Salmiya are set for a closely fought contest given their similar form and points tally. Kazma comes into the game after a hard-earned 1-0 victory over Al-Nasr in the previous round and is aiming to repeat its opening-round success against Al-Salmiya. Maintaining pressure on the leading duo remains a key objective for the “Orange” side.

Al-Salmiya, meanwhile, is eager to respond after missing out on a win against leader Kuwait Club, where it conceded a late equaliser in a 1-1 draw. The “Red” side is determined to make amends and strengthen their position in the standings.

In the other fixture, Al-Qadsia looks to bounce back from last round’s 2-1 loss to rival Al-Arabi, a defeat that saw it slip down the table. The “Yellow” team is keen to rediscover winning form and keep alive its long-standing title ambitions, while also seeking to confirm its superiority over Al-Nasr, having opened the season with a convincing 4-0 win over them.

For Al-Nasr, the league’s bottom side, today’s match presents an opportunity to capitalize on its opponent’s recent setback and secure only its second victory of the campaign, following its surprise 2-1 win over Al-Arabi in the seventh round.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff