Pakistan football team is set to make its debut appearance in Round 2 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. The Shaheens have been handed a tricky opening fixture against the Asian giants, Saudi Arabia. The match is scheduled to take place at the iconic Al-Fateh Stadium in Al-Ahsa on 16th November.
In Round 1, the Pakistan football team created history by winning their first-ever World Cup qualifying match against Cambodia by 1-0. Pakistan’s head coach, Stephen Constantine would be hoping that his side would take some inspiration from their previous game and try to get a positive result on Thursday night.
What can we expect from the Saudi Arabian football team?
Well, the Saudi Arabian football team deserves no introduction. They are one of the powerhouses of Asian football and over the last couple of years, they have completely altered the landscape of football in Asia.
The influx of European players in the Saudi Pro League has taken their domestic football to new heights. The league that was once only talked about in Asia is now being followed by football enthusiasts from all over the world.
They also created headlines in the 2022 FIFA World Cup when they defeated Argentina in the group stages, who eventually went on to lift the World Cup. So, the magnitude of the task that Constantine’s men have at their disposal is pretty much apparent.
And to make matters worse for Pakistan, Saudi Arabia is being managed by Roberto Mancini. He is ranked among the elite managers in the football world who have enjoyed success at the domestic and continental level during his managerial career. He is the one who guided Italy to UEFA European Championship glory in 2020. Furthermore, he won the Premier League title in dramatic circumstances for Manchester City in 2011-2012.
The Italian has a vast amount of experience in managing European teams which poses a serious threat to Shaheens’ chances of getting a positive result against his side. Despite boasting a superior team and coaching staff roster, the Green Flacons haven’t had the best of times lately.
Since their remarkable victory against Argentina, they have managed to win only once against Yemen at the beginning of 2023. They are currently on an eight-match winless streak, where they have drawn only once and lost the rest of the games.
Furthermore, their star man and the current AFC Player of the Year, Salem Al-Dawsari has sustained an injury and will be unavailable for the clash against Pakistan. But they have got plenty of firepower in their arsenal to cause difficulties for Pakistan players. Despite their poor run of form, Mancini’s men are going to be a very tough proposition for the Shaheens.
Pakistan’s Squad for Round 2 of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Once again, Stephen Constantine has been very bold with his selection and has made some key changes to the squad for Round 2 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Easah Suliman won’t be in action for Pakistan as he suffered a medial meniscus tear while playing for his club, Sumgayit FK, in the Azerbaijan Premier League.
He is going to be a big miss for the Shaheens as he and Abdullah Iqbal were starting to form a formidable center-back pairing. Mamoon Musa Khan is expected to replace him in the starting eleven. The 22-year-old was part of the Pakistan U23 side that took part in the 2024 AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers.
Stephen has decided to bolster the defensive line this time around by naming three extra defenders. These include Haseeb Khan, Hamza Munir, and Muhammad Saddam. Haseeb has represented the Shaheens in the past, whereas the rest have yet to make their debuts for the national side.
Moin Ahmed and Waheed Khan are the other two noticeable absentees from the squad. Both were part of the Pakistan team during the Round 1 fixtures of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers. Waheed showed great promise throughout the two legs against Cambodia, but he lacked that killer touch in the final third that one expects from a number nine.
But Moin’s exclusion is a bit concerning given his performances against Cambodia. The 19-year-old created plenty of attacking opportunities from the right flank for Pakistan and was decent in defense as well. Only time will tell whether Stephen made the right call or not.
Another diaspora player, Imran Kayani has been drafted into the side. The 21-year-old plays his club football in England for Whitehawk FC. The talented forward has six goals and one assist to his name in the 11 appearances that he has made for the club this season. Stephen would be hopeful that he can lead the forward line better than Waheed did for the men in green.
The Pakistan fans must be delighted to see the name of Otis Khan in the squad after he was cleared by FIFA to represent the Pakistan national team. The 27-year-old was unable to feature against Cambodia as FIFA had some reservations regarding his nationality. The talented midfielder brings with him a wealth of experience that is certainly going to benefit the youthful Pakistan squad.
The following players were named for Round 2 fixtures of FIFA World Cup Qualifiers:
Goalkeepers: Yousaf Butt (captain), Hassan Ali, and Salman ul Haq
Defenders: Mamoon Moosa Khan, Mohibullah, Sohail Khan, Haseeb Ahmed, Umar Hayat, Abdullah Iqbal, Muhammad Sadam, Hamza Munir, and Juniad Shah
Midfielders: Ali Uzair, Rajab Ali, Rahis Nabi, Harun Hamid, and Alamgir Ghazi
Forwards: Waleed Khan, Otis Khan, Imran Kayani, Adeel Younas, Fareed Khan, Abdul Samad, and Shayak Dost.
Expected Lineup:
(Formation: 4-4-1-1): Yousaf Butt, Umar Hayat, Mamoon Moosa Khan, Abdullah Iqbal, Juniad Shah, Otis Khan, Rahis Nabi, Alamgir Ghazi, Ali Uzair, Shayak Dost, Imran Kayani
