Al-Salmiya edge past Al-Sahel in a hard-fought match
Al-Salmiya secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over visitors Al-Sahel in their match on Sunday at Thamer Stadium, concluding the third round of the Premier League “Zain League.”
The first half was of average quality, with Al-Salmiya holding the advantage, while Al-Sahel failed to deliver the expected performance, particularly given their reliance on defensive solidity and counter-attacks that posed no threat to Al-Salmiya’s goalkeeper, Abdulrahman Al-Fadli.
Al-Salmiya’s forwards—Mubarak Al-Fanini, Bahraini Abdullah Youssef, and David Sambeisa—had several opportunities but squandered them through rushed shots and a lack of composure in front of Al-Sahel’s goalkeeper, Fawaz Al-Dosari, who was well-positioned.
The second half saw no significant change in the teams’ performances, with play largely confined to the midfield. Al-Salmiya controlled the proceedings without creating any notable danger to Al-Sahel’s goal, which continued to defend in depth and rely on counter-attacks that also failed to threaten Al-Salmiya’s net.
The match’s only goal came in the 70th minute when Al-Sahel defender Abdulrahman Al-Daihani failed to clear the ball from his penalty area, and it struck Al-Salmiya’s Omar Ali, deflecting into the net.
In another match, Al-Fahaheel defeated visitors Al-Thaidani 4-1 at Naif Al-Dabous Stadium.
Al-Fahaheel took an early lead in the first minute through Ranga Chavafiro, then pressed and attacked throughout a half that saw numerous chances for both the “Reds” and Al-Thaidani, who tried to mount a comeback and score.
In the second half, Sharihedh Al-Sharihedh scored Al-Fahaheel’s second goal in the 65th minute, before Al-Thaidani reduced the deficit with a header from Abdulrahman Al-Rashidi in the 71st minute.
This victory marks Al-Fahaheel’s first win of the season after losses in their previous two matches against Al-Qadsia and Al-Nasr, while Al-Thaidani suffered their third consecutive defeat following losses to Kazma and Al-Salmiya in the previous two rounds.
Meanwhile, Al-Kuwait coach Firas Al-Khatib, a Syrian, clarified that his team would resume training and not halt activities during the current period, in preparation for their upcoming match against UAE’s Al-Ittihad Kalba on the 16th in the AFC Champions League Two.
Al-Khatib noted that “the Whites” had not delivered their usual standard in the first three rounds of the “Zain League,” adding, “We are always required to deliver outstanding performances, win matches, and not waste opportunities, as happened in the recent match against Al-Jahra.”
In a related development, Al-Kuwait player Amr Abdel Fattah underwent surgery to treat a laceration on his head sustained during the same match.
According to the schedule announced by the Competitions Committee during the draw ceremony, the “Zain League” Premier League will have two break periods. The first begins in September, following the third round, to allow the Kuwait national team to prepare for the Gulf Cup (“Khaleeji 28”) in Saudi Arabia, and for Al-Kuwait to participate in the AFC Champions League Two. Competitions will resume on October 9.
The second break period, which will follow the end of the first phase, will take place between December 3 and February 6, in preparation for the 2027 Asian Cup finals.
