The Saudi Arabia U-17 national team and their Emirati counterparts played to a 2-2 draw in a friendly match on Saturday evening. This match was part of the Saudi team's overseas training camp in the United Arab Emirates, which is part of their preparation program for the 2026 AFC U-17 Championship.
Match events and Al-Dawsari's brilliance
The match was highly competitive between the two brotherly nations, with the talented Abdullah Al-Dossari emerging as one of the stars, scoring both of Saudi Arabia's goals. The goals came early and decisively in the first half, with Al-Dossari opening the scoring in the second minute before adding a second in the 36th minute, reflecting the players' high level of technical readiness and mental focus from the outset.
The starting lineup and the coach's options
National team coach Ahmed Al-Hanfoush entered the match with a starting lineup aimed at testing the harmony between the players and implementing tactical plays. The lineup included:
- Goalkeeper: Musa Al Eid.
- The players are: Marwan Al-Yami, Salman Al-Qahtani, Jawad Al-Hashem, Ammar Maimani, Khaled Sharahili, Fahad Al-Anzi, Abdullah Al-Batli, Abdullah Al-Dossari, Fares Bu Shaqra, and Rakan Al-Azouri.
The importance of the camp and the strategy for developing age groups
This training camp is of paramount importance within the framework of the Saudi Arabian Football Federation's plans to develop its youth sector, which is considered the cornerstone of the future of Saudi football. These international friendly matches aim to provide young players with experience against different footballing styles and to raise their physical and mental fitness levels before entering official competitions.
The 2026 AFC U-17 Championship is a pivotal event, as its importance is not limited to continental competition, but it is the main gateway to qualifying for the FIFA U-17 World Cup, which is the strategic goal that the Saudi national team seeks to achieve to ensure the continued presence of Saudi football in major international events.
The complete Green squad list for the camp
This training camp includes 26 carefully selected players from Saudi clubs, representing the elite talents of this age group. The full squad list is as follows:
Musa Al Eid, Abdullah Al Nakhlei, Musaed Al Shammari, Jawad Al Hashem, Salman Al Qahtani, Nawaf Al Huwairi, Rakan Al Azuri, Ammar Maimani, Marwan Al Yami, Khalid Sharahili, Abdullah Al Batli, Hassan Al Akroush, Ali Al Makki, Abdulrahman Al Mami, Ali Awad, Faisal Alaa, Hamad Al Shammari, Abdulaziz Rabat, Zaid Al Bouri, Rami Al Nashri, Ali Al Shamrani, Zaid Al Ghamdi, Saleh Al Yami, Fares Boushagra, Abdullah Al Dosari, and Fahd Al Anzi.
The technical staff, led by Al-Hanfoush, seeks through these names to build a strong generation capable of competing and fulfilling the aspirations of the Saudi fans in the upcoming events.
