Al-Qadsia and Al-Arabi: 'A Return Under Contradictory Circumstances'
Al-Qadsia prepares to face Al-Shabab following their Asian success, while Al-Arabi seeks to change their situation with the return of Nistorovic, and Al-Fahaheel is in good shape under Sefila.
Translated by Qiyas from الراي — Original source
Kuwait SC, buoyed by its recent overseas success, aims for a strong return to domestic competition when it hosts Al-Shabab in Ahmadi. Meanwhile, its traditional rival Al-Arabi hopes to “turn a new page” under the guidance of its returning Bosnian coach, Darko Nestorovic, as the sixth round of the Zenith Premier League concludes tomorrow, Wednesday.
The two fan bases are in contrasting situations ahead of their highly anticipated meeting in the seventh round, just one week away.
The “Yellow” side reached the quarter-finals of the AFC Challenge League after topping Group 3, where it played its home matches, securing three consecutive victories. It is now keen to maintain its momentum in the domestic league, where it held second place before focusing on its overseas campaign.
Kuwait SC enters the match with nine points from four games, with one match postponed. The “Ahmadi Blues,” Al-Arabi, have seven points and have slipped to seventh place after a 2-0 defeat to neighbors Al-Fahaheel in the previous round.
In contrast to its traditional rival, the “Green” side was eliminated from the continental competition after suffering three defeats in Group 2 in Tajikistan.
Following this setback, the club’s management took several decisions to rectify the team’s situation and restore it to its former standing. It re-signed Darko, who previously managed the club, and appointed former international star Khaled Abdulqadous as head of the football department.
For his part, Al-Fahaheel is enjoying a good spell under Slovak coach Martin Svejda. After a shaky start that included defeats to Kuwait SC and Al-Nasr, the “Red” side bounced back with three consecutive wins against Al-Tadamun, Al-Sahel, and Al-Shabab, lifting them to fourth place with nine points and giving them strong motivation to continue their rise and challenge the top teams.
