RIYADH — The Saudi national team departed early Saturday morning without two of their key midfielders, Salem Al-Dawsari and AbduleIlah Al-Malki, after French coach Hervé Renard made the decision to exclude them from the squad following injuries sustained in the match between Al Hilal and Al Ettifaq on Friday in the Saudi Pro League. Al Hilal confirmed that captain Al-Dawsari suffered an ankle injury, as indicated by urgent medical scans at a hospital in Riyadh. As a result, Renard has called up Al Hilal's Mohammad Al-Qahtani as a replacement. The Saudi team's delegation departed from King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, heading to Melbourne, Australia, where they will face Australia on November 14 at the Rectangular Stadium, followed by a match against Indonesia on November 19 at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium. The Saudi team is preparing for the fifth and sixth rounds of the AFC qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. They are currently in Group C alongside Japan, Australia, Bahrain, China, and Indonesia. Notably, the squad marks the return of Salman Al-Faraj, the captain, who had been absent from the national team in recent months. Renard has included 27 players, reintroducing some familiar faces from his previous tenure with the team before his departure in March 2023. The squad features four goalkeepers, several defenders returning from previous injuries, and some new faces in the midfield and attack, including the return of Ali Al-Bulaihi and key players like Mohammed Kanoo and Yasser Al-Shahrani. Renard has made several changes to the squad compared to the previous list under former coach Roberto Mancini, with 13 players dropped.
