Tribune News Network
Doha
Talismanic Akram Afif will be spearheading Qatar’s squad along with Almoez Ali at the 26th edition of Arabian Gulf Cup “Gulf 26” which will kick-off at the Jaber International Stadium in Kuwait when hosts Kuwait take on Oman on Saturday (December 21).
Qatar’s 26-man squad was announced on Thursday with player making the grade from coach Luis Garcia’s preliminary list following a brief training camp in Doha.
Garcia’s squad was revealed by Qatar legend Younus Ahmed in a video posted on Qatar Football Association’s (QFA) social media handle. The squad also includes Al Gharafa’s Assim Madibo, who is set to make his return to the national team.
Afif and Ali will be leading Qatar’s attack with Al Rayyan starlet Ahmed Al Rawi - making a comeback.
Lucas Mendez will be leading the defence line in the absence of injured Pedro Miguel.
The QFA also announced that Mohammed Ayash will miss the tournament as he pulled up a hamstring during the training camp.
Twice Asian champions Qatar will kick off their Group A campaign against the United Arab Emirates on Saturday at the newly-built Jaber Al Mubarak Al Sabah Stadium and will play their nexttie against Oman om Tuesday. Al Annabi’s final group stage match will be against hosts Kuwait at the Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium on December 27.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals to be played on December 31, with the final set for January 3, 2025.
Qatar squad: Marwan Sherif (Al Ahli), Meshaal Barsham (Al Sadd), Salah Zakaria (Al Duhail), Ahmed Al Rawi (Al Rayyan), Ahmed Fathy (Al Arabi), Akram Afif (Al Sadd), Ibrahim Al Hassan (Calahorra), Almoez Ali (Al Duhail), Al Hashemi Al Hussain (AD Alcorcon B), Bahaa Al Leithi (Al Ahli), Jassim Jaber (Al Arabi), Rabeh Boussafi (Al Gharafa), Sultan Al Brake (Al Duhail), Tarek Salman (Al Sadd), Assim Madibo (Al Gharafa), Abdulaziz Khalid (Al Wakrah), Abdullah Al Ahrak (Al Duhail), Abdullah Youssef (Al Gharafa), Abdelrahman Moustafa (Al Ahli), Mohamed Khaled (Calahorra), Mubarak Shanan (Al Duhail), Mohammed Muntari (Al Gharafa), Moustafa Meshaal (Al Sadd), Homam Al Amin (Al Duhail), Lucas Mendez (Al Wakrah), Yusuf Abdurisag (Al Sadd).
