Saudi Arabia national team coach Georgios Donis has officially dropped goalkeeper Nawaf Al-Aqidi from the squad’s training camp in Jeddah ahead of the ongoing Gulf Cup 27 tournament, following medical examinations that confirmed a severe arm injury requiring an extended rehabilitation program.
The decision to drop Al-Aqidi leaves the host nation’s squad reshaping its defensive depth mid-tournament. The goalkeeper sustained a severe injury to his hand’s elbow during the team’s opening match against Kuwait at the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah, forcing an emergency substitution during a tightly contested 1-0 victory.
Nawaf Al-Aqidi suffered a strong injury, and this is the bad news, and for this reason we substituted him.
Medical Findings and Official Squad Adjustments at Gulf Cup 27
According to an official statement released by the Saudi Arabian Football Federation via the national team’s announcements, medical test results on the player’s elbow confirmed that he lacked the readiness to continue playing in the regional competition. The technical staff moved quickly to manage the vacuum left in the squad.
To fill the vacancy, the technical staff called up Al-Ula goalkeeper Abdulquddus Atiah to join the Jeddah camp. Atiah brings prior international experience, having earned two caps for the national team while conceding just one goal and keeping a clean sheet in one appearance. Meanwhile, Mohammed Al-Owais, who guarded the goal during the recent World Cup campaign, is expected to step into the primary role for the remaining tournament fixtures.
Group Stage Stakes Ahead of the Oman Fixture
The tournament timeline leaves little room for hesitation. The squad faces Oman at the Al-Inma Stadium in their second Group A match, needing a victory to secure qualification for the semifinals ahead of their final group stage match against Iraq.
Manager Donis emphasized that the team must sharpen its execution in the attacking third if they hope to advance comfortably.
It is important that we work better, and be stronger in front of the goal, and the players must improve in exploiting chances, and our continuous training aims to achieve a better result.
Donis added that the team is fully focused on addressing these offensive shortcomings during training sessions to ensure a successful outcome in the upcoming crucial fixture.
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