KUWAIT CITY, Dec 23: Al-Kuwait will face off against Kazma at Thamer Stadium  in the Zain Premier League at 8:00 pm.The matchup is preceded by a clash between Al-Fahaheel and Khaitan at the Friendship and Peace Stadium at 5:30 pm.

In the first game, Al-Kuwait, led by Tunisian Nabil Maaloul with 22 points, aims to maintain positive results in the competition. Despite a narrow 3-2 win over Al-Jahra in the tenth round, Maaloul sees tonight's confrontation as the "first test" for "Al-Abyad." Victory over Kazma is deemed essential to successfully pursue a third consecutive title.

Despite the absence of key team members due to injury or suspension, including Tunisian Yassin Amri, Youssef Nasser, Dhari Al-Otaibi, and Reda Hani, Maaloul relies on experienced players such as Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Faisal Zayed, Tunisian Yassin Al-Khanisi, Amr Abdel Fattah, Bahraini Mohammed Al-Marhoon, and Mohammed Dahham.

Meanwhile, Kazma, currently sixth in the standings with 13 points, faces a period of imbalance. Coach Francisco Chalo acknowledges the challenges faced by the team, including a decline in the performance of foreign players and the absence of key team members. Kazma hopes to rebound from a heavy 5-2 defeat to Al-Kuwait in a previous encounter.

In the second confrontation, Al-Fahaheel, with 9 points, seeks its third victory in the competition and the second in a row. A win would help them move away from the "danger zone" and closer to the "warm zone." Al-Fahaheel aims for redemption against Khaitan, who previously defeated them with a clean triple.

Khaitan's Romanian coach, Florin Matrock, is eager for his first victory with the team to reach the ninth point, competing with Al-Fahaheel, Al-Shabab, Al-Salmiya, and Kazma for a spot in the "warm zone." Khaitan has not been convincing in the last two matches, and the team's dynamics have undergone significant changes since the beginning of the competition.

Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff