Al-Qallaf is unmarked as he goes for a goal.

KUWAIT CITY, May 15: The Premier Handball League returns today after a 25-day break, with three thrilling matches lined up in the second round of the second division. All matches will take place at the Sheikh Saad Al-Abdullah Sports Complex.

The action kicks off at 4:30 pm with Kazma facing Sulaibikhat, followed by a showdown between Kuwait Club and Salmiya at 6:00 pm. The day's fixtures will conclude at 7:30 pm as Burgan takes on Al-Arabi.

The league was temporarily paused on April 20 to allow the national team to participate in the 10th Arab Cup, which recently concluded in Kuwait. The national team, known as the Blues, secured third place in the tournament.

Currently, Kuwait Club leads the Premier League standings with 38 points, followed by Burgan with 31 points. Kazma sits in third place with 26, ahead of Salmiya with 21, while Sulaibikhat and Al-Arabi are tied with 18 points each.

Kuwait Club aims to extend its unbeaten streak and move one step closer to clinching the league title for yet another season, having maintained a perfect record since the 2012–2023 campaign. On the other hand, Salmiya hopes to climb the standings with a stronger second-half performance.

In today's opener, Kazma enters as the favorite against Sulaibikhat, but the latter won't go down without a fight. Sulaibikhat used the league break to hold a training camp in Cairo and bolstered their squad with French-Algerian player Nouri Benhalima after Estonian professional Tom Karl sustained an injury.

The final match between Burgan and Al-Arabi promises intensity, as Burgan looks to build on recent strong performances, while Al-Arabi aims to bounce back and improve its position in the league and with its fans.

Meanwhile, in the First Division League, Saturday’s fixtures will see Khaitan take on Al-Fahaheel, while Al-Qurain faces Al-Tadamon.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff