Latest news with #Al-Salmiya
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi face off again in Amir Cup final
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: Kuwait Club and Al-Arabi have once again secured their places in the Amir Cup final, scheduled for June 16, marking their third final encounter this season. The two teams previously faced off in the Crown Prince Cup final, where Kuwait Club edged out Al-Arabi 1-0. They also met in the decisive match of the Zain Premier League's final round, with Kuwait Club winning 2-1, securing both titles and denying Al-Arabi the chance for a double. Kuwait Club aims to cap off the season by winning the Amir Cup, having already claimed the Super Cup. Meanwhile, Al-Arabi is chasing its first title of the season and looks to reclaim the Amir Cup, which has eluded them for five consecutive seasons. Kuwait Club President Khaled Al-Ghanim announced the signing of international goalkeeper Khaled Al-Rashidi on a three-season contract. Al-Rashidi, who previously played for Al-Arabi and Al-Salmiya, joins the team ahead of the new season. Following Kuwait Club's 1-0 victory over Al-Qadsiya in the tournament's semi-finals—achieved despite playing most of the match with ten men—Al-Ghanim praised the squad's determination and performance, stating, 'The players proved worthy of our trust.' Al-Arabi Club Chairman Abdulaziz Ashour rewarded each player with a 1,000 dinar bonus after their 1-0 semi-final victory over Al-Salmiya, thanks to a goal by Bahraini forward Kamil Al-Aswad. Ashour expressed gratitude for the players' efforts, noting the win secured their place in the final. He confirmed that the players are under long-term contracts, emphasizing the club's commitment to their continued service. Regarding the contract status of coach Nasser Al-Shatti, Ashour stated, 'The board will convene soon to decide the best course of action.'
Arab Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait needs back-to-back wins to keep World Cup hopes alive
KUWAIT CITY, May 31: The Kuwait national football team will kick off its training camp at 7:30 pm today at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium, in preparation for two critical 2026 World Cup qualifying matches against Palestine and South Korea, scheduled for June 5 and 10, respectively. Head coach Juan Antonio Pizzi has called up Al-Salmiya's Fawaz Ayed to replace injured Al-Qadisiya player Abdulaziz Wadi, who sustained an injury during the semi-final of His Highness the Amir's Cup against Kuwait Club last Thursday. Pizzi has named a 26-man squad for the upcoming fixtures, which includes: Saud Al-Hoshan, Mishari Ghannam, Fahad Al-Hajri, Mohammed Daham, Reda Hani, Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Ahmed Al-Zanki, Yousef Nasser, Khaled Al-Rashidi, Moaz Al-Dhafiri, Eid Al-Rashidi, Mubarak Al-Fenini, Jassim Al-Matar, Khaled Sabah, Rashid Al-Dosari, Suleiman Abdul-Ghafoor, Hassan Hamdan, Mohammed Khaled, Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi, Hussein Ashkanani, Yousef Majed, Moaz Al-Aseema, Mahdi Dashti, Hamad Harbi, and Abdulrahman Al-Rashidi. Kuwait currently sits sixth in Group B with 5 points from eight matches, having drawn five. South Korea leads the group with 16 points, followed by Jordan (13), Iraq (12), Oman (10), and Palestine (6). To keep qualification hopes alive, Kuwait must win both upcoming matches and hope for Oman to drop points in the final two rounds.
Arab Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Arabi hopes to end the season on a high in the Amir Cup semifinal
KUWAIT CITY, May 29: Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium will host the highly anticipated Amir Cup semifinal between Al-Arabi and Al-Salmiya tonight at 8:30. The two sides have faced each other three times this season in the Zain Premier League, with Al-Arabi holding the edge, winning twice (3-1 and 3-2) and drawing once (1-1). Despite the familiarity between the teams, tonight's knockout encounter promises a fresh intensity with a spot in the final on the line. Neither team had an easy journey to the semifinal stage, despite facing clubs from the Zain First Division League. Al-Arabi was pushed to the limit in the preliminary round by Al-Sulaibikhat, eventually advancing via penalty shootout (4-3) after a 2-2 draw in regular time. It then edged past Al-Jahra 2-1 in the quarterfinals. Al-Salmiya also struggled early on, narrowly beating Sahel—the bottom team in the First Division—2-1 in its opening match before overcoming Al-Nasr 3-1 to secure the semifinal berth. Under head coach Nasser Al-Shatti, Al-Arabi enters the semifinal determined to salvage its season after missing out on both the league title and the Crown Prince Cup. The Greens are eager to cap the campaign with silverware and see the Amir Cup as its final shot. Al-Shatti will rely on a talented squad led by standout players such as Bahraini international Kamil Al-Aswad, Nigerian striker Emmanuel Iwala, and a strong supporting cast including Ali Khalaf, Hassan Hamdan, Jumaa Aboud, Soufiane Bouchar, Hamza Khaba, Bandar Al-Salama, Hamad Al-Qallaf, Ali Aziz, and Hussein Ashkanani. Al-Salmiya, led by Croatian coach Ante Miša, is looking to reach the final after falling just short last season against Al-Qadsiya. Having been outperformed by Al-Arabi in their league meetings this year, the Sky Blues are motivated to turn the tables in the Amir Cup. Miša will count on a balanced lineup featuring key players such as Fawaz Ayed, Alex Lima, Amr Midani, Mahdi Dashti, Mohammed Al-Huwaidi, Al-Sanousi Al-Hadi, Sang Pierre, Moaz Al-Aseema, Emad Al-Lawati, and Issa Walid. With both teams hungry for success and redemption, fans can expect a fiercely contested battle as the Amir Cup nears its dramatic conclusion.
Arab Times
6 days ago
- Sport
- Arab Times
Kuwait Club clinches 58th Premier Handball League title, Burgan secures historic second
KUWAIT CITY, May 29: The Kuwait Club handball team secured the title of the 58th Premier Handball League after a commanding 39-28 victory over Sulaibikhat in the first round of the league's third and final stage. This triumph marked the club's 15th overall league title and 13th consecutive championship, sealing the title with four rounds remaining and bringing their total to 48 points. Meanwhile, Burgan made history by finishing second in the league for the first time, following a 32-28 win over Al-Salmiya. With 39 points, Burgan stands eight points clear of third-place Kazma. Even if Kazma wins its remaining four matches and Burgan loses all of theirs, both would be tied on points, but Burgan would maintain the edge based on head-to-head performance. The battle for third place continues, with Kazma (31 points) and Al-Salmiya (23 points) contending for the podium. Reacting to the historic achievement, Burgan Sports Club Chairman Anwar Al-Otaibi praised the club's progress, saying: 'This milestone didn't happen overnight. It is the result of the tremendous support from the club's board of directors, combined with the efforts of our technical, administrative, and medical staff, as well as the commitment of our players.' Al-Otaibi also confirmed that Burgan will participate in the Asian Club Championship this November, marking the team's first continental appearance. He expressed optimism, noting that the team will compete with four Asian professionals and is aiming for a strong showing.
Arab Times
27-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Arabi completes Amir Cup semifinal lineup
KUWAIT CITY, May 27: Al-Arabi secured the final spot in the Amir Cup semifinals with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Al-Jahra in the last quarterfinal match held at Thamer Stadium. With the win, Al-Arabi will now face Al-Salmiya in the first semifinal clash scheduled for Friday at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium. The other semifinal will see Al-Qadsiya take on Kuwait Club tomorrow at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium. Al-Arabi's path to qualification was far from straightforward. The team went ahead 2-0 thanks to goals from Nigerian forward Emmanuel Iwala in the 34th minute and Bahraini international Kamil Al-Aswad in the 52nd. Al-Jahra fought back, narrowing the margin with a goal by Abdulaziz Marwi in the 61st minute, but couldn't find the equalizer. This marks Al-Arabi's second challenge in the tournament after a tough preliminary round against First Division side Sulaibikhat, where it advanced on penalties (4-3) following a 2-2 draw after extra time. Al-Jahra head coach Mohammed Dahilis announced he would step down at the end of the season, describing his experience with the team as "beautiful and convincing." Under Dahilis' leadership, Al-Jahra earned promotion to the Zain Premier League by topping the Zain First Division League and made a commendable run in the Amir Cup, including a win over Kazma in the preliminary round. Reflecting on the loss to Al-Arabi, he said, 'We conceded from two mistakes. Al-Arabi is a strong team and deserved to win.' Club President Yousef Karim revealed that Al-Jahra will begin preparations for the upcoming season soon. 'We will develop a comprehensive plan to avoid repeating past mistakes,' he stated, praising the efforts of the club's technical, administrative, and medical teams, as well as the players. Al-Arabi player Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi expressed gratitude to head coach Nasser Al-Shatti for trusting him in the starting lineup. 'That trust gives me the confidence to give everything I have,' he said. Al-Awadhi, who previously played as a striker for Al-Yarmouk, emphasized his readiness to play any role needed for Al-Arabi. 'I'm fully committed to the team and will give my utmost to help us compete for every title.'
