Caretaker coach Mahdi Ali, who had also guided the UAE U-20 team in the FIFA U-20 World Cup, has announced a 23-member squad for the December 9 to 19 event.
The hosts had sacked their Romanian coach Ioan Andone six games into the season for the team’s poor showing.
Khalil (pictured), who represented UAE in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Egypt recently, will have the company of Brazilian Bare, Mohammad Sarour and Abdullah Abdelrahman upfront but their key striker Faisal Khalil will miss the tournament due to an injury.
The void created by the departure of midfielder Clederson Cesar would be filled by Egyptian Hosny Abd Rabo and Iranian Mehdrad Madanchi.
Al Ahli will face Oceania champions Auckland City on December 9 and the winner of this match will meet Mexican outfit Atlante three days later.
THE SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Obeid Taweilah, Yousef Abdullah, Saif Mohammad
Defenders: Mohammad Qasem, Obeid Khalifah, Yousef Jaber, Bader Yaqout, Saad Srour, Abdullah Ahmad, Khaled Mohammad, Mohammad Fawzi
Midfielders: Hosny Abd Rabo ( Egypt ), Mehrdad Madanchi ( Iran ), Hasan Ali Ibrahim, Ali Hussein, Waleed Ahmad, Ismail Al Hammadi, Salem Khamis, Ali Abbas
Strikers: Ahmad Khalil, Bare (Brzail), Mohammad Srour, Abdullah Abdelrahman
