In this file photo, Al Arabi players celebrate after winning the first leg.

KUWAIT CITY, March 11: Al Arabi will face Al Seeb of Oman at 9:30 pm at the Seeb National Stadium for the second leg of the Asian Challenge Cup quarter-finals (West Zone). In the same round, Turkmenistan's Arkadag will host India's East Bengal.

Al Arabi, who won 1-0 in the first leg, is eager to secure a spot in the West Zone final and compete for the coveted Asian title, which has eluded the club. The team enters the match with confidence, bolstered by a strong season and their advantage from the first leg. To progress, Al Arabi only needs to win or draw.

The team, which is also in the running for the Zain Premier League title, shares the top spot with Kuwait Club, with six rounds left in the tournament. Coach Nasser Al Shatti has a squad full of talented players across all positions, including key figures like Hassan Hamdan, Ali Khalaf, Jumaa Aboud, Hussein Ashkanani, Bandar Al Salamah, and Suleiman Abdul Ghafoor, along with foreign players Anabo Iwala and Christopher John from Nigeria, Hamza Khaba from Morocco, and Kamil Al Aswad from Bahrain.

Al Arabi is also determined to redeem itself after being eliminated by Al Seeb in the 2022 AFC Cup.

On the other hand, Al Seeb will look to capitalize on its home advantage and crowd support to take revenge on Al Arabi and knock it out of the tournament. To rally the fans, Al Seeb's president, Shihab bin Tariq, has offered to cover the cost of tickets.

The winner of this two-legged tie will face the victor of the matchup between East Bengal and Arkadag, the latter making its AFC debut.

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff