KUNA photo Players vie for the ball during the Super Cup match between Al-Qadsiya and Al Arabi.

KUWAIT CITY, Jan 25: Al-Qadsiya defeated Al-Arabi 1-0, earning a spot in the Kuwaiti Super Cup final.

The decisive goal came from Ismail Khafi, who scored in the 59th minute to secure victory for Al-Qadsiya.

The final will take place on Tuesday at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium in Sulibkhat, where Al-Qadsiya will face Al-Kuwait.

Kuwait Club holds the record with seven Super Cup titles, followed by Al-Qadsiya with six and Al-Arabi with three.

Montenegrin coach of Al-Qadsiya, Zeljko Petrovic, expressed his satisfaction with the team's 1-0 victory over Al-Arabi.

The highly anticipated final will take place next Tuesday at Jaber Al-Mubarak Stadium.

Petrovic acknowledged that his team performed better in its recent Zain Premier League clash against Al-Arabi, but pointed out that mistakes from certain players led to its loss in that encounter. He noted, however, that the opportunity given to some younger players in the Super Cup semi-final paid off. “They achieved the goals of their participation and showed clear improvement. I hope they continue to develop and contribute positively to the team.”

The return of key players and the signing of Algerian defender Hussein Dahiri have strengthened the squad, but Petrovic emphasized that not all players adhered to instructions, allowing Al-Arabi to successfully close down spaces. Despite the challenges, he stated, “We deserved to win. Both teams played well, but in the end, the best team won.”

Looking ahead to the final against Kuwait Club, Petrovic acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming match and hoped all players would recover in time for the showdown.

Al-Arabi’s coach, Nasser Al-Shatti, took responsibility for his team’s loss to Al-Qadsiya, emphasizing that “Al-Akhdar” has been focusing more on other competitions this season.

Al-Shatti admitted that he was not happy with the defeat but explained that he had made strategic decisions to prioritize certain matches. “We aimed to win every match, but we had to make some calculations regarding our priorities,” he said. Some key players were rested for the Super Cup semi-final to keep them fresh for the Zain Premier League, where Al-Arabi is fighting for the title alongside Kuwait.

“We are concentrating on winning the Zain Premier League, the Amir Cup, and the Crown Prince Cup, and we also want to compete for the Asian Challenge Cup,” Al-Shatti continued. Despite the loss, he praised his players for their effort, acknowledging Al-Qadsiya's strong performance and congratulating them on reaching the final.

Kuwait Club’s Adel Aqla expressed confidence in his team’s readiness to defend its Super Cup title following its 4-1 victory over Al-Salmiya, Aqla stated, “We are ready to face any team in the final. We respect all our opponents.”

Aqla also shared his preference for a foreign refereeing crew for the final, although he expressed gratitude and respect for local referees.

By Hassan Mosa