In this file photo, Kazma player shoots the ball as an opponent defends.

KUWAIT CITY, March 6: The preliminary round of the Crown Prince Cup Championship continues today, Friday, with two key matchups. Kazma faces Yarmouk at Thamer Stadium at 9:30 pm, while Al-Salmiya takes on Burqan at Al-Sadaka and Al-Salam Stadium at the same time. The action extends into Saturday with a single clash between Fahaheel and Al-Shabab at Nasser Al-Osaimi Stadium, also at 9:30 pm.

Meanwhile, several matches have been postponed, including Al-Jahra vs. Al-Jazeera, Al-Arabi vs. Al-Sahel, and Al-Qadisiya vs. Al-Nasr. The rescheduling is due to Al-Arabi's participation in the Asian Challenge Cup and Al-Qadisiya’s involvement in the Gulf Champions League.

Kazma and Yarmouk head into their showdown under similar circumstances, both struggling this season and facing relegation battles in the Zain Premier League. They are set for a crucial league clash at the end of March, followed by another meeting in the fourth-round league stage in April. The only previous encounter this season ended in Kazma’s favor with a 2-0 victory. Kazma now looks to assert dominance and bounce back from inconsistent league form, while Yarmouk seeks a long-awaited first win after drawing six and losing ten of its 16 league matches.

In the other fixture, Al-Salmiya eyes a spot in the quarter-finals at Burgan’s expense. However, Croatian coach Ante Miša and his squad acknowledge the challenge ahead, having suffered a 2-0 defeat to Burgan in December 2023. Burqan, delivering strong performances in the First Division League, aims to repeat that success against the Sky Blues.

Fahaheel and Al-Shabab lock horns in their first meeting of the season. Their last encounter was in the 2024 Amir Cup, where Fahaheel cruised to a 4-1 victory. Both teams have been in solid form—Fahaheel has secured a Premier League spot, while Al-Shabab leads the Zain First Division League.

Historically, their Crown Prince Cup encounters have been memorable. In the 2015-2016 edition, Al-Shabab triumphed 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw. Their most famous showdown came in the 2014-2015 quarter-finals, where a 2-2 draw led to a dramatic penalty shootout, ultimately won by Fahaheel (14-13).

By Hassan Mosa

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff