Kuwait heads to Doha with 19 players for Gulf Cup preparations

Players intensify training for the Gulf Cup.

KUWAIT CITY, Sept 8: Kuwait will travel to Doha at 3 p.m. today for a short training camp as part of its preparations for the 27th Gulf Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from September 23 to October 6.

The camp is expected to include a friendly against Qatari club Lusail on September 13, subject to final confirmation.

Kuwait will begin the Doha camp with 19 players, with eight Kuwait Club players excluded as they prepare to face UAE side Al-Wahda on September 16 in the AFC Champions League Two. The players are Khaled Al-Rashidi, Saud Al-Houshan, Mohsen Falah, Reda Hani, Abdullah Al-Qurzaei, Ahmed Al-Dhafiri, Mohammad Daham and Yousuf Nasser.

Portuguese coach Helio Sousa has selected 27 players for the national team, including the eight Kuwait Club players who will join the squad later.

The rest of the squad comprises Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli, Rakan Al-Saeed, Fahad Al-Hajeri, Khaled Sabah, Yousuf Al-Haqan, Abdulaziz Naji, Abdulwahab Al-Awadhi, Rashed Al-Dosari, Muath Al-Dhafiri, Khaled Al-Morshed, Jassim Al-Matar, Athbi Shehab, Nasser Faleh, Mahdi Dashti, Eid Al-Rashidi, Yousuf Majed, Mubarak Al-Feneini, Abdullah Al-Awadhi and Shabib Al-Khaldi.

The Blues wrapped up their Kuwait training yesterday at Ali Sabah Al-Salem Stadium before heading to Doha. The team will then travel to Jeddah next Monday for a longer camp that will run until the start of the Gulf Cup and include a friendly against Yemen on September 18.

Kuwait has been drawn in Group A alongside hosts Saudi Arabia, Oman and Iraq. The Blue will face Saudi Arabia in the tournament opener on September 23, meet Iraq on September 26, and conclude the group stage against Oman on September 29.

Group B features Bahrain, the UAE, Qatar, and Yemen.

Dr. Abdulmajid Al-Bannai, head of the Kuwait Football Federation’s medical committee, said psychological factors can contribute to injuries, particularly muscle cramps and tears.

He stressed that clubs are responsible for ensuring national team players arrive at camp in strong physical condition.

Al-Bannai said the current injuries within the Kuwait squad are mainly bruises of varying degrees, with Mohammad Daham and Rashed Al-Dosari among those affected.

He added that if the recovery process continues positively, Kuwait should enter the Gulf Cup with a complete squad.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff