Latest news with #NasserAl-Shatti
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
18-05-2025
- Sport
- Arab Times
Al-Arabi Coach Nasser Al-Shatti: We're ready to win the Crown Prince Cup
KUWAIT CITY, May 18: Al-Arabi coach Nasser Al-Shatti congratulated Kuwait Club on winning the Zain Premier League title and expressed his strong desire to win the Crown Prince Cup. Speaking at a press conference held yesterday at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium, Al-Shatti said, "I would like to thank the Al-Arabi players for their remarkable performance throughout the league. They competed fiercely from the very first rounds, and we came close to winning the title." He added, "Competing for every title until the end is never easy." He noted that Kuwait Club has maintained a distinguished system over the past 20 years, while Al-Arabi has been following a similar path over the last five years, aiming to crown its efforts with a championship. "I hope to win the Crown Prince Cup," Al-Shatti stated, emphasizing that his main goal is to compete strongly, introduce modern tactics, and help Al-Arabi's young players excel and win titles. "My objective is to win the title to please the fans and compensate for the league loss," he continued, explaining that football is often decided by small details that ultimately cost Al-Arabi the league crown. Al-Arabi player Juma Aboud described the upcoming match as a "big" one with intense competition between the two teams. He added, "Our goal is to win the title by following and executing all of the coach's instructions."
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.
