KUWAIT CITY, Aug 3: Al-Arabi's Moroccan professional, Hamza Khaba, has been sidelined with a muscle injury that will keep him out for 30 days, according to a statement from the club on its social media. The specifics of the injury were not disclosed.

As a result, Khaba will miss the first three rounds of the Zain Premier League, where Al-Arabi is set to face Kazma, Al-Tadamon, and Al-Qadisiya. Despite receiving loan offers from clubs such as Al-Khaldiya of Bahrain and Al-Shorta of Iraq, Al-Arabi's management decided to retain Khaba for another season.

Khaba missed Al-Arabi's recent friendly match in their Turkish camp against Erzurum Spor, which ended in a 1-0 defeat for Al-Arabi. He also did not participate in the final days of training at the camp. The Al-Arabi team has returned from their Turkish camp and will resume training today in preparation for their match against Kazma next Saturday in the first round of the league.

Al-Qadisiya drew 2-2 with Saudi Arabia's Al-Adalah in a friendly match after their camp in Egypt. Moroccan Ismail Khafi and Libyan Mohammed Soula scored for Al-Qadisiya. The team is scheduled to return from Cairo today and will start training for their league opener against Kuwait next Thursday.

In a friendly match held at Kuwait Stadium in Kaifan, Al-Salmiya defeated Kuwait Club 2-0. Al-Salmiya's goals were scored by Tunisian professional Imad Lawati and new signing Saif Al-Hashan from Al-Arabi.

Al-Salmiya is preparing to face Al-Nasr next Friday in the first round of the league, while Kuwait Club will play Al-Qadisiya next Thursday. Following this, Kuwait Club will travel to Manama, Bahrain, to face Al-Ahli Bahrain in a play-off match for AFC Champions League 2 qualification.

Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff