KUWAIT CITY, Oct 5: The Zain Premier League’s fourth round brings us two exciting matchups. First, Al-Jahra face Al-Fahaheel at 5:55 p.m. at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium. Then, Khaitan takeon Al-Nasr at Abdullah Al-Khalifa Stadium at 8:45 p.m.

The round concludes with two more thrilling matches. In the first, Al-Qadsia clash with Al-Arabi at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium at 6:15 pm. The second showdown features Al-Shabab hosting Al-Kuwait at 9:00 pm.

All eyes are on the upcoming “derby” match between Al-Qadsia and Al-Arabi tomorrow. Both teams currently share 7 points, and they’re in the midst of a resurgence.

Al-Arabi recently secured a resounding victory over Khaitan (4-0) in the last round, bouncing back from a somewhat disappointing draw against Al-Shabab (1-1) in the second round. They also sit atop their group in the AFC Cup alongside Al-Riffa of Bahrain. Meanwhile, Al-Qadsia are riding high after a convincing 3-0 win over Al-Fahaheel in the last round, marking their second consecutive victory following a 2-1 triumph over Al-Jahra in the second round. This impressive turnaround came after an initial draw against Khaitan at the start of the competition.

Recent history has seen Al-Arabi dominating this rivalry. Last season, they managed to secure victories against Al-Qadsia three times out of five encounters, twice in the league (2-0 and 3-1) and once in the Crown Prince Cup semifinal, where they prevailed 3-0. Al-Qadsia managed a solitary league victory (2-1), with one goalless draw in the mix.

Yet, both coaches, be it Al-Arabi’s German tactician Thomas Brdarić or Al-Qadsia manager “General” Mohamed Ibrahim, understand that “derby” matches are unpredictable and can go either way. Tomorrow’s clash leaves the door wide open for any outcome, regardless of past results or current circumstances.

In the other fixture, Al-Abyad aim to maintain their lead and secure a fourth victory at the expense of Al-Shabab, who are in search of their first win after two draws and a defeat. Al-Kuwait have regained their form in the AFC Cup, with a recent 2-1 victory over Jordan’s Al-Wahdat, putting them in contention for qualification alongside Iraq’s Al-Kahraba. Khaitan and Al-Nasr (both with 4 points) seem evenly matched, while Al-Fahaheel (with one point) and Al-Jahra (at the bottom of the standings with zero points) are eager to claim their first win in the tournament.