Kuwait and Burqan Summit Concludes Round 14 of the Premier Handball League

Competitions for the 14th round of the Premier Handball League conclude tomorrow with two matches held at the Union Hall in the Sheikh Saeed Al-Abdullah Sports Complex. At 5:00 p.m., Kazma will face Al-Nasr, while attention will shift at 6:30 p.m. to the round’s climax, featuring a clash between Kuwait and Burqan.

The Kuwait-Burqan matchup carries special significance, given the ambition of Kuwait, the league leaders with 23 points from 11 wins, one draw, and one loss, to extend their winning streak and consolidate their top position. Burqan, second on the table with 18 points from eight wins, two draws, and three losses, enters the match seeking an upset to claim two crucial points.

The match marks the debut of Brazilian coach Marcus Oliveira with Kuwait following his return to lead the team, replacing Algerian coach Said Hijazi. It also sees the first appearances for Bahraini import Mohammed Habib and national team star Haider Dashti with the national side.

Oliveira relies on his players’ experience and a rapid transition from defense to attack (“fast break”), alongside solid zone defense, in an effort to neutralize Burqan’s key playmakers. On the other side, Burqan enters the game with high morale after winning the Asian title, buoyed by the technical momentum gained from their recent participation in the Club World Cup (“Super Globe”) in Cairo, following a training camp in Bosnia.

National coach Yaqoub Al-Mousawi will rely on a full squad led by Portuguese import Inacio Hernandez, Japanese player Yasuhiro, goalkeepers Fahd Karam and Ali Saffar, along with Mubarak Al-Khalidi and Bandar Al-Shamari, in an attempt to exploit any lapse in Kuwait’s concentration and secure a valuable victory.

In the first match, third-placed Kazma, with 14 points, aims to add another win to close the gap with the top two teams, targeting the recently defeated Al-Nasr, which is seeking to regain confidence and escape the bottom of the standings.