Tag: AFC Asian Cup UAE 2019

Iran’s first Asian Cup opponent are blocked by Saudis.

Saudi Arabia has put up several barriers for the Yemeni national team on the eve of the Asian Cup, ISNA reported. The Yemeni national team, the first opponent of Team Melli in the Asian Cup, was scheduled to set a training camp in Doha as part of their preparation for AFC Asian Cup. That was canceled due to Saudi authorities preventing the squad from leaving  war-torn Yemen.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are leading a war against Yemen rebel Houthis who control the capital Sanaa. During the camp in Doha, Yemen arranged was supposed to play a friendly match against Tajikistan’s as reported by ISNA. However, the uncertainty and  delay  of the Yemeni squad in leaving their war-torn homeland resulted in cancelling the match in Doha .

A coalition of Arab countries led by Saudi Arabia imposed a historic land, maritime, and air blockade on Qatar. The measures were designed to strong-arm Doha to comply with a list of demands. Saudi Arabia has blocked Yemen’s national football team leaving to Qatar, preventing the Yemenis from setting a one-month camp in Doha including scheduled three friendly games, and  insisted that the camp to be set up and continues in the Saudi Capital Riyadh.

Yemen is Group D of the AFC Asian Cup  UAE 2019 which also includes  Iran, Iraq and Vietnam.

Team Melli Final Training Schedule for AFC Asian Cup announced.

Iran’s football federation announced the schedule for the final Team Melli training camp up to the AFC Asian Cup 2019  in UAE.

the federation’s official website mentioned that after the approval of the President of the FFIRI, the training plan will be held in Qatar and will last until the AFC Asian Cup.

The squad will utilize Camp Aspire facilities that was provided by the Qatari Football Federation. Most training session will be held in Camp Aspire while official matches will be held at designated stadiums. The camp will start on  December 17th  and conclude on January 2nd  2019. The squad will fly to Abu Dhabi on January 2nd, ahead of its first game on December 7th against Yemen  in Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi.

During the training Camp in Doha, Team Melli will play 2 friendly matches and possibly a third against Lebanon which is yet to be confirmed.

The first match will be against Palestine on the 24th December, and a week later , Team Melli will face Qatar..

Meanwhile, the final roster for the Asian Cup will be announced on December 26th.