Oday Dabbagh, Kuwaiti Al-Arabi’ striker and Palestine national team star, has quite a volatile time in the Gulf country so far.
On Monday, Dabbagh begged two decisive headers for his team and helped his club completing a comeback after trailing 0-1 against Kazma.
The past season and a half have been a rollercoaster Dabbagh. In 2019/20, he joined Kuwaiti Al-Salmiya after impressing in the AFC Cup with Hilal Al-Quds and the Fidai in the 2022 World Cup qualifications. He has scored on his debut for Salmiya, a big club in Kuwait, but this was the only game he managed to play for the club. He got his shoulder fractured and was badly injured. When he recovered three months later, giants Al-Qadsia quickly acquired him. Again, Dabbagh scored on his debut, but was again badly injured, and was ruled out for seven months. That was unlucky circumstances for the young Jerusalemite, who experienced a rough first year abroad as a pro.
He managed to score another brace for Qadsia after he recovered, but the club then had already different plans, and they sent him on a loan deal to bottom of the league side, Al-Yarmouk. There, Dabbagh exploded. Seven goals in six games made him one of the hottest names in Kuwaiti football. Yet, Al-Qadsia wasn’t impressed and again sent him on loan, this time - to Al-Arabi.
At Al-Arabi again, Dabbagh scored on his debut. Not once, but twice. Two headers who set up a comeback 2-1 against Kazma at home gave Al-Arabi a first victory in the Kuwaiti playoffs.
Dabbagh is becoming a serious name in Asian football with 13 goals in the Kuwaiti league, but his time to try out in a harder and better league is getting closer.
🎥 فيديو
— النادي العربي الرياضي (@Alarabi_SC) February 1, 2021
ملخص فوز العربي على كاظمة بنتيجة 2/1 ضمن ثاني جولات دوري stc الممتاز pic.twitter.com/8jtrNQDDTp
West Bank Premier League
The Palestinian West Bank Premier League continued today, and it seems that nothing can stop Taraji Wad Al-Nes and Thagafi Tulkarem from relegation this season. Thagafi lost 3-0 to Dahariah (a brace for Mohamed Fode), while Taraji, who made some moves in the transfer window, lost 1-2 to Shabab Samu (a brace for Ismail Alamour).
During the weekend Shabab Al-Khaleel has beaten Jabel Mukaber 0-1 and pushed the East Jerusalemites down to third. The championship battle is looking to be between North and South. Balata from Nablus (North) and Shabab Al-Khaleel from Hebron (South). May the best team win.
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