DUBAI: The Saudi Arabian Football Federation (SAFF) has announced a rookie 24-man national team squad for the Gulf Cup in Kuwait later this month.
Only five players from Edgardo Bauza’s last squad before his sacking retained their spot in the new-look squad: Left-back Abdulrahman Al-Obaid, midfielders Nouh Al-Mousa and Salman Al-Moasher, in addition to strikers Mukhtar Fallatah and Hazza Al-Hazza.
The squad only has 73 caps between them, and 33 of those belong to Ahmed Al-Fraidi. Only two players over the age of 30 have been called up and only two players in the squad have scored for their country. As many as 14 players could make their national-team debut in the tournament.
“You will see a different team in Kuwait,” tweeted Turki Al Al-Shaikh, Head of the General Sports Authority.
In a surprising move, Croatian boss Krunoslav Jurcic was chosen as the man to take the largely inexperienced squad to Kuwait, instead of the newly appointed national team coach Juan Antonio Pizzi.
Spokesman Mohamed Al-Shaikh said that the SAFF was not disrespecting the competition by sending a second-string team. “This selection does not mean that we underestimate the competition,” he said. “It is part of the strategy agreed with coach Pizzi.”
Jurcic was recruited earlier this year to lead “the talents team,” a parallel national team composed mainly of talented Saudi-born youngsters between the ages of 18 and 22 identified by the national scouting committee. The team is meant to serve as a pipeline to supply talent from lower divisions and non-league football to the national team.
This squad is the first indication of that pathway bearing fruit. Six youngsters born in Saudi Arabia to foreign parents have been included, including trio Hammam Al-Ajaj, Ali Al-Nimr and Ali Yahya, who all hail from Yemeni families. Ahmed Ashraf has also been called up. He was born in the Kingdom to Egyptian parents.
The US-based Faris Abdi and Vitesse Arnhem’s Mukhtar Ali, who are both expected to be fast-tracked into the national team set-up, miss out on selection, however. Ali, the former Chelsea midfielder, remains with his club side in Holland as the competition falls outside of FIFA’s coordinated international match calendar.
Both players are expected to feature in the Saudi Arabia squad participating in the AFC Under-23 Championship in China next month.
Saudi Arabia names young Gulf Cup squad
Saudi Arabia names young Gulf Cup squad
Liverpool rocked by last-gasp defeat at Wolves
- Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future
LONDON: Liverpool suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at Wolves as Andre’s stoppage-time strike sealed a dramatic victory for the Premier League’s bottom club on Tuesday.
Arne Slot’s side fell behind to Rodrigo Gomes’ strike in the closing stages at Molineux.
Mohamed Salah hauled Liverpool level with his first goal in 11 top-flight games dating back to November.
But Andre’s first goal for Wolves inflicted the latest humbling loss in a chastening season for Liverpool.
It was the first time the Premier League’s bottom club had beaten the reigning champions since Crystal Palace defeated Chelsea in 2017.
Liverpool have conceded 14 goals in the last 15 minutes of the second half, with only Newcastle shipping more in the same period in the Premier League.
The Reds remain fifth but their hopes of qualifying for next season’s Champions League have been hurt by a defeat that means sixth-placed Chelsea will go above them if they beat Aston Villa on Wednesday.
Liverpool’s first defeat in five games in all competitions will raise fresh questions about Slot’s Anfield future.
This was the first of Liverpool’s two trips to Molineux in the space of four days, with an immediate chance for revenge in the FA Cup fifth round on Friday.
Slot this week said he no longer finds Premier League matches a “joy to watch” due to the rise in set-piece goals, and Liverpool supporters took no pleasure from this dismal performance.
Wolves and Liverpool fans joined in a sustained round of applause on 18 minutes in memory of Diogo Jota, who wore that shirt number during his time at Molineux before joining the Reds.
Portugal forward Jota died in a car crash in Spain last year.
Crest-fallen Slot
That emotional tribute seemed to suck the energy from both teams in a scrappy first half.
Liverpool were punished for their lethargy in the 78th minute.
Tolu Arokodare got away with a nudge on Virgil van Dijk to win the ball before playing a superb pass to Rodrigo Gomes, who held off Ibrahima Konate and guided a clinical finish past Alisson Becker.
Liverpool finally awoke from their slumber after that shock, grabbing an equalizer in the 83rd minute with a helping hand from Wolves.
Wolves midfielder Jean-Ricner Bellegarde was guilty of a woeful pass that Salah intercepted, racing into the area for a shot that eluded Jose Sa’s weak attempted save.
Salah has scored just eight goals — five in the league — during a turbulent season.
Liverpool were still creaky at the back and Andre pounced on Alisson’s poor clearance four minutes to steal the points in stoppage-time.
Andre’s powerful strike deflected off Liverpool defender Joe Gomez and looped over the wrong-footed Alisson as Wolves boss Rob Edwards sprinted down the touchline in a wild celebration while Slot looked on crestfallen.
Wolves are 11 points from safety with eight games left and relegation remains almost certain despite this memorable victory.
Everton ended their dismal home form and pushed Burnley closer to relegation with a 2-0 win at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Buoyed by their 3-2 win at Newcastle last weekend, Everton dispatched second-bottom Burnley with their first win in eight home league matches.
Former Burnley defender James Tarkowski put Everton in front with a powerful header from James Garner’s 32nd minute free-kick.
Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall doubled Everton’s advantage on the hour taking Iliman Ndiaye’s pass and clipping a composed finish past Martin Dubravka from six yards.
Everton remain in contention for a European berth, while Burnley are eight points from safety with just nine games left.
Habib Diarra’s penalty fired Sunderland to a 1-0 victory against Leeds on their first Premier League visit to Elland Road since 2002.
Bournemouth and Brentford shared a goalless draw at the Vitality Stadium that did little to improve either side’s hopes of qualifying for Europe.
