Latest news with #Arkadag
Arab Times
17-04-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Arabi's Hassan Hamdan discharged after head injury
KUWAIT CITY, April 17: Al-Arabi will resume training this evening following their return from Turkmenistan. The team was eliminated from the AFC Challenge League after suffering a 3-0 loss to Arkadag in the second leg of the semi-final. Looking ahead, Al-Arabi is preparing to face Al-Salmiya in the second round of the Zain Premier League Championship Group Stage, scheduled for the day after tomorrow. Currently, Al-Arabi sits in second place in the league with 46 points, just four points behind leaders Kuwait Club, with four rounds remaining. In other news, Al-Akhdar defender Hassan Hamdan has been discharged from the hospital after being admitted following a head injury during Al-Arabi's match against Arkadag. Hamdan lost consciousness early in the match and was rushed to the hospital by ambulance. According to Al-Arabi's official website, Hamdan underwent necessary tests, which revealed a mild concussion. By Hassan Mosa
Arab Times
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Arabi exits the AFC Challenge League after a heavy defeat to Arkadag
ASHGABAT, April 16: Al-Arabi bowed out of the AFC Challenge League after suffering a 3-0 defeat to Turkmenistan's Arkadag in the second leg of the semi-finals, at the latter's home ground. Despite entering the match with a 2-0 lead from the first leg, secured through goals by Hamza Khaba and Salman Al-Awadhi, the "Greens" failed to maintain their advantage. Coach Nasser Al-Shatti fielded a lineup that included Suleiman Abdul Ghafoor in goal, a backline of Hamad Al-Qallaf, Hassan Hamdan, Sofiane Bouchar, and Jumaa Aboud, with Kamil Al-Aswad, Hussein Ashkanani, and Ali Khalaf in midfield, and Hamza Khaba, Wanayo Iwala, and Christopher John up front. Disaster struck early for Al-Arabi when defender Hassan Hamdan suffered an injury in the first minute following a rough challenge. Play was paused for five minutes before Hamdan was stretchered off, and Mohammed Khaled came on as his replacement. Arkadag capitalized on the disruption, scoring its opening goal in the 7th minute through Shenzar Turkishov, who fired a powerful shot into the bottom left corner past Abdul Ghafoor. Al-Arabi tried to respond with attacking efforts, but they struggled to break through Arkadag's organized defense. Meanwhile, the home team continued to threaten with aerial balls and crosses, keeping the pressure on until halftime. In the second half, Arkadag maintained its dominance. They doubled their lead in the 58th minute when substitute Anadiev pounced on a rebound from Turkishov's shot that hit both the post and Abdul Ghafoor before slotting it home. Seven minutes later, Bazgilich Gurbanov nearly made it 3-0, but Abdul Ghafoor produced a crucial save. Al-Shatti then brought on Youssef Majed and Salman Al-Awadhi in an attempt to turn the tide. Al-Arabi's performance improved, and they created several chances, including a clear one-on-one opportunity for Al-Awadhi in the 88th minute, but Rustam Ahaliev blocked the shot. Arkadag sealed the match just before the final whistle, when Anadiev sent in a low cross that Turkishov tapped into the net unmarked, completing his brace and confirming Al-Arabi's elimination from the tournament.
Arab Times
12-04-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Arabi faces key absences ahead of Challenge Cup semifinal second leg
KUWAIT CITY, April 12: Al-Arabi will be without key player Khalid Al-Murshid for its upcoming match against Turkmenistan's Arkadag next Wednesday in the second leg of the AFC Challenge Cup semi-final. Al-Murshid picked up an injury during recent training and will not be part of coach Nasser Al-Shatti's plans for the match. Additionally, Badr Tariq will also miss the game due to injury. The Al-Arabi delegation arrived in Turkmenistan last evening, led by board member Ismail Al-Habib, and will hold its first training session this evening. Complicating travel plans, the Turkmenistan Civil Aviation Authority denied permission for the delegation to travel via a direct flight or private plane. As a result, Al-Arabi announced on its official "X" platform account that the team would travel to Turkmenistan via a connecting flight through Dubai, UAE, after the original plan was blocked. The club also mentioned that it would explore the possibility of returning the team on a private plane for its return journey. It's important to note that the Al-Arabi delegation was initially scheduled to depart Kuwait today on a private flight. In the first leg of the semi-final at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium, Al-Arabi secured a 2-0 victory over Arkadag, with Nigerian forward Christopher John scoring the opening goal in the 71st minute, followed by Salman Al-Awadhi's strike in the third minute of stoppage time.
Arab Times
08-04-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Green Falcons ready to soar against Arkadag
KUWAIT CITY, April 8: Al-Arabi will take on Turkmenistan's Arkadag at 7:00 pm today at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium in the first leg of the AFC Challenge League semi-finals. The second semi-final match will take place tomorrow (Thursday), featuring Cambodia's Preah Khan Reach Svay Rieng against Indonesia's Madura United. This will be the second meeting between Al-Arabi and Arkadag. The Green Falcons previously edged Arkadag 3-2 during the group stage, which they hosted last October. That victory helped Al-Arabi qualify as the best second-placed team before progressing past Oman's Al-Seeb in the quarter-finals with a 1-0 win in the first leg and a 2-2 draw in the return leg. Al-Arabi has intensified its preparations for this key fixture with a focused training camp. The team aims to secure a strong result at home ahead of the second leg next Wednesday. The match also comes amid a dip in domestic form. Recent 1-1 draws against Al-Salmiya and Al-Fahaheel saw the Green Falcons slip to second place in the Zain Premier League standings—four points behind leaders Kuwait Club, with only four rounds left to play. Head coach Nasser Al-Shatti underlined the importance of the continental tournament, saying, 'The AFC Challenge League is one of our primary goals this season.' Speaking at the pre-match press conference, Al-Shatti stressed the need for his players to show resilience and recover from recent league results. He voiced full confidence in his squad, especially goalkeeper Suleiman Abdul Ghafoor, stating, 'His performance remains a cornerstone of the team's strength.' On the other side, Arkadag's Coach, Ahmed Alaa, expressed ambitions for a strong away result, but acknowledged the quality of his opponent. 'Al-Arabi is not an easy team. The semi-final is a different scenario than the group stage, and we've made adjustments to our squad accordingly.' The Asian Football Confederation has assigned a South Korean refereeing crew to officiate the match. Choi Hyun-jae will serve as the head referee, assisted by Chun Jin-hee and Bang Gi-wol, while Chae Sang-hyup will act as the fourth official.
Arab Times
07-04-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Arabi finalizes preparations for AFC Challenge League semifinal against Arkadag
KUWAIT CITY, April 7: Al-Arabi will wrap up its final training session this evening ahead of its crucial AFC Challenge League semi-final first-leg clash against Turkmenistan's Arkadag, scheduled for tomorrow. The Kuwaiti side recently held a preparatory training camp to gear up for the encounter, while Arkadag's delegation has also arrived in Kuwait and commenced its pre-match training sessions. The two sides are familiar foes, having previously met in the group stage last October, where Al-Arabi edged Arkadag 3-2 in a tightly contested match in Kuwait. Head coach Nasser Al-Shatti has focused on sharpening his players' concentration and minimizing errors—particularly those that proved costly in recent Zain Premier League fixtures. Al-Arabi was held to consecutive 1-1 draws by Al-Salmiya and Al-Fahaheel. It now trails league leader Kuwait City by four points, with four rounds remaining. The technical staff is actively working on tactical adjustments to reignite the team's winning form and restore the players' confidence as Al-Arabi continues to chase silverware on multiple fronts this season. In preparation for the high-stakes match, Al-Arabi has been promoting ticket sales across social media platforms, offering various categories—regular, box, and cabin—for fans attending the game at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium.
