KUWAIT CITY, Aug 17: Al-Qadisiya secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Al-Yarmouk, earning its first three points in the Zain Premier League at Mohammed Al-Hamad Stadium during the second round of the tournament. The only goal came from Brazilian player Igor Rossi in the 12th minute.

Al-Arabi also achieved a narrow 3-2 win against Al-Tadamon at Abdullah Al-Khalifa Stadium. Al-Arabi's goals were scored by Ali Aziz (40'), Aiwala (45+3'), and Ahmed Khalidi (71'), while Casimir (43') and Talal Al-Ansari (54') found the net for Al-Tadamon.

Despite both teams securing crucial victories and collecting three points, the performances of these rivals were less than convincing, especially with a "derby" match between them scheduled for next Wednesday in the third round of the league.

Al-Qadisiya bounced back after a loss in the opening round against Kuwait Club, but it was not the dominant side in the match. Al-Yarmouk managed to keep pace with its host and launched several attacks throughout the game, though none resulted in a goal.

Al-Qadisiya’s coach, Mohammed Al-Mishaan, remarked, "This was the match where we struggled the most with ball possession, but the most important thing is that we collected the points on a difficult day. The match saw Al-Qadisiya dealing with multiple injuries, including Adhbi Shehab, Moaz Al-Dhafiri, and Rashid Al-Dosari.

In the second match, Al-Arabi raised its tally to six points, temporarily taking the top spot in the standings, pending the remaining results of this round. Al-Arabi and Al-Tadamon delivered an entertaining first half, with both teams abandoning defensive caution, leading to an offensive spectacle. Although Al-Arabi scored twice, Al-Tadamon managed to equalize on both occasions.

In the second half, Al-Arabi scored its third goal, while Al-Tadamon’s efforts to equalize again were thwarted, particularly in the final minutes, where Al-Arabi's goalkeeper, Suleiman Abdul Ghafoor, played a pivotal role in securing the win.

Al-Arabi coach Nasser Al-Shatti acknowledged the difficulty of the match and expressed dissatisfaction with his team's performance. However, he emphasized the importance of the victory, despite the absence of several key players, and expressed confidence that the team would improve in the coming matches.

Hassan Musa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff