Palestine National Team Squad Announced for China Cup Amidst New Faces and Notable Absences
Palestine's national football team coach, Ihab Abu Jazar, has announced the squad for an upcoming friendly tournament in China, featuring several new call-ups and sparking questions about the exclusion of key players. The "Feda'i" (The Fedayeen) will participate in the invitational tournament as part of their preparation for future competitions, most notably the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
The squad includes a mix of established and emerging talent, with notable new inclusions such as Aiham Ousou, a midfielder for Bosnian club Velež Mostar, and Adam Ahmed, a winger from Danish club Esbjerg fB. Ousou, from Majd al-Krum in Israel, joins the team to bolster their options for the China tournament and upcoming Asian Cup.
One of the standout performers in the lead-up to the camp is Asad Al-Haj, who recently scored twice for his Romanian club, Universitatea Craiova, in a dominant 5-0 victory. Al-Haj received a match rating of 9.0 for his performance.
However, the absence of striker Omar Faraj from the squad has raised eyebrows. Faraj, who plays for Halmstads BK in Sweden and has scored four goals this season, is considered one of Palestine's top forwards. He has only been called up once previously under the current coaching staff.
The Palestinian team is scheduled to play its first match against New Zealand on September 24, followed by games against Tajikistan on September 28, and China on October 2.
