The Saudi Arabia national team has dropped midfielder Musab Al-Juwayr from its final squad for the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup. The decision was made on disciplinary grounds just days before the start of the tournament, which the Kingdom is hosting.
A statement from the technical and administrative staff confirmed the 23-year-old has been excluded from the pre-tournament training camp in Jeddah. The statement did not disclose details of the situation but indicated a replacement would be named later.
Greek head coach Georgios Donis had initially named Al-Juwayr in his 26-player squad announced earlier this week. The midfielder is an experienced international with 39 caps and six goals, having previously played for Al-Hilal and Al-Shabab and featured at the World Cup.
The team begins its Group A campaign against Kuwait on Wednesday, with matches against Oman and Iraq to follow in a tournament running until October 6.
This squad change comes as Saudi Arabia seeks to improve its form, sitting fourth in World Cup qualifying, five points behind leaders Spain. They have taken just two points from three games, scoring once and conceding five. The standings show the scale of the task ahead.
Recent results have been mixed, with a draw against Cape Verde Islands and a heavy defeat to Spain, but also a win over Puerto Rico. Donis must now reorganize his midfield options ahead of the key opener against Kuwait.
The report in full is at ua.news
