Al-Arabi battles Al-Sulaibikhat as Amir Cup preliminary round concludes
KUWAIT CITY, May 22: The preliminary round of the Amir Cup concludes this evening with a rescheduled encounter between Al-Arabi and Al-Sulaibikhat, set to kick off at 7:10 pm at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium.
Originally slated for last April, the match was postponed due to Al-Arabi's involvement in the AFC Challenge League semi-finals.
Tonight's match holds critical importance for Al-Arabi, who aim to turn the page on a difficult stretch that saw it miss out on two major titles within just eight days. It lost its chance at the Zain Premier League crown after a 2-1 defeat to Kuwait Club in the decisive round on May 11, followed by a narrow loss in the Crown Prince Cup final to Al-Abyad on Monday.
The "Green" side enters the match not just seeking victory, but a fresh start. The team hopes to restore confidence, regain momentum, and launch a serious campaign in Kuwait's most prestigious knockout competition, now its last remaining opportunity for silverware this season.
On the other side, Al-Sulaibikhat will be hoping to cause an upset and capitalize on Al-Arabi's recent misfortunes. However, its task is formidable. Al-Sulaibikhat recently missed out on promotion to the Zain Premier League after being held to a 1-1 draw by Al-Jahra in the final round of the Zain First Division League. It needed a win to secure promotion, but the result left it in third place, with Al-Shabab advancing instead.
In another rescheduled fixture, Al-Qadsia secured a hard-fought 3-2 win over Burgan, booking a spot in the Amir Cup quarterfinals where it will face Al-Fahaheel this Sunday.
Under the watchful eye of Syrian coach Firas Al-Khatib, the 'Yellows' looked in full control after racing to a 3-0 lead, courtesy of goals from Khaled Sabah (19'), Bader Al-Mutawa (22'), and Ismail Khafi (61'). But Burqan mounted a fierce comeback, with Hamoud Al-Sahli scoring twice (63' and 77') to narrow the gap and apply late pressure.
Al-Qadsia nearly paid the price for its defensive complacency, but held on until the final whistle to seal the win.
A moment of concern for Al-Qadsia came early in the match when defender Khaled Ibrahim collided with Burgan's Isaac James. Ibrahim was taken to the hospital, underwent medical tests, and has since been cleared to play in Sunday's quarterfinal.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab Times
15 hours ago
- Arab Times
Kuwait concludes preparations for must-win World Cup qualifier against Palestine
KUWAIT CITY, June 3: Kuwait concludes its training this evening at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, ahead of its crucial clash against Palestine tomorrow in the ninth round of Group B of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, set to take place in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Kuwait began a training camp yesterday that will continue before traveling to Seoul this Friday to face South Korea in the tenth and final round of the qualifiers next Tuesday. Led by Argentine coach Juan Antonio Pizzi, the national team is determined to secure victories in both upcoming matches to keep its slim hopes of advancing to the playoffs alive. However, qualification is also dependent on Oman losing its two remaining matches, making Kuwait's path extremely difficult. Currently, Kuwait sits sixth and last in Group B with five points, while South Korea tops the table with 16, followed by Jordan (13), Iraq (12), Oman (10), and Palestine (6). Coach Pizzi has been steadily raising the intensity of training to bring players to peak performance levels. The technical staff has emphasized focus and minimizing errors while implementing some rotations due to recent changes in the squad compared to the lineup from last March's qualifiers. A pre-match press conference will be held today, today at noon at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, featuring the head coaches and a player from each team. The press conference will follow the technical coordination meeting scheduled for 11:00 AM at the same venue. The Kuwait Football Association began selling tickets for the match earlier this week and is urging fans to show up in large numbers. Fan support will be critical, as the team clings to a last chance at qualification, despite the difficulty of the task. Meanwhile, the Palestine national team held its second training session at Thamer Stadium, home of Al-Salmiya Club, and will conduct its final training tonight at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium. The Palestinian delegation also honored striker Wissam Abu Ali for winning the Egyptian Premier League title with Al-Ahly, celebrating his achievement ahead of the pivotal qualifier.
Arab Times
16 hours ago
- Arab Times
Inzaghi resigns as coach of Inter amid Saudi interest
MILAN, June 3, (AP): The 5-0 rout by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final was Simone Inzaghi's final match in charge of Inter Milan. "The time has come for me to say goodbye to this club after a run of four years during which I gave everything,' Inzaghi wrote in a letter to Inter fans on the club website on Tuesday. Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal is reportedly trying to lure Inzaghi with an offer of more than 20 million euros ($23 million) per season. Inzaghi coached Inter to the Serie A title last year and was also in charge when the Nerazzurri lost the 2023 Champions League title to Manchester City. He was at Inter for exactly four years and had one more season remaining on his contract. It's unclear now who will coach Inter at the Club World Cup in the United States starting June 14. Inter opens against Monterrey on June 17 - a day before Al-Hilal opens against Real Madrid. There has been speculation that Inter would go after Cesc Fabregas, who coached Como to a 10th-place finish in Serie A. Inter finished second in the Italian league last month, one point behind champion Napoli. Inter was in the running for a treble until it lost to city rival AC Milan in the Italian Cup semifinals in April. Having also been beaten by Milan in the Italian Super Cup final in Saudi Arabia in January, the Nerazzurri didn't win a trophy this season. The coaching change at Inter is just one of many managerial moves among the top Italian teams this offseason, with Milan, Roma, Atalanta, and others making changes.
Arab Times
16 hours ago
- Arab Times
Inzaghi reportedly tells Inter he is leaving in the wake of the rout in the final
MILAN, June 3, (AP): The 5-0 rout by Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final may have been Simone Inzaghi's final match in charge of Inter Milan. Inzaghi told Inter on Tuesday that he is leaving the club, the Gazzetta dello Sport reported, although there was not immediately an official announcement. Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal is reportedly trying to lure Inzaghi with an offer of more than 20 million euros ($23 million) per season. Inzaghi coached Inter to the Serie A title last year and was also in charge when the Nerazzurri lost the 2023 Champions League title to Manchester City. He has been at Inter for exactly four years and has one more season remaining on his contract. If Inzaghi is leaving, it's unclear who will coach Inter at the Club World Cup in the United States starting June 14. Al-Hilal's opener at the Club World Cup is against Real Madrid on June 18. There has been speculation that Inter would go after Cesc Fabregas, who coached Como to a 10th-place finish in Serie A. Inter finished second in the Italian league last month, one point behind champion Napoli.
