Kazma — Al Tadhamon: 1:3, Premier League

Kazma lost 3-1 to Al-Tadhamon in the opening round of the Premier League regular season on Wednesday evening. The visitors took control from the first half and never looked back, despite being outplayed for most of the ninety minutes. And here's the thing — you don't need to dominate attacks to win.

S. Al Khaldi gave Kazma an early lead with a goal in the nineteenth minute, but Marlon equalised from the penalty spot just before half-time. Al-Tadhamon then scored twice in the second half through A. Ndaw and P. Monteiro to secure all three points.

The statistics told a different story. Kazma registered 299 attacks compared to 137 from their opponents, while holding just 38 per cent possession. They managed only one shot off target and two on target, while Al-Tadhamon fired eleven shots on goal with nine missing the mark.

By then it was clear this was Al-Tadhamon's day. They had nothing to lose and played accordingly, throwing bodies in the way when Kazma pressed. The visitors took seven corners to Kazma's single effort, suggesting sustained pressure despite the away side's quieter attacking output.

Kazma sit fourth in the table after beating As-Salmiya 3-0 in their previous outing, though this result ends that momentum. Al-Tadhamon remain twelfth, their only defeat coming against Al-Shabab earlier in June.