Barran Press
The Yemeni youth national team will face their first challenge in the Arab Homelands Tournament for West Asian Under-19 teams tomorrow, Wednesday, June 26th. The tournament, hosted by Taif, Saudi Arabia, will see the young Yemeni players take on their Saudi counterparts at 9 pm local time at King Fahd Stadium.
The Yemeni team is part of Group A, which also includes Oman and Kuwait. Group B comprises Iraq, Lebanon, and Jordan, while Group C features Syria, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, and Palestine.
The Yemeni team's coach, Mohammed al-Badani, expressed confidence in his players' ability to compete strongly despite a short training camp. "Our team is determined to win, and we believe in the talent and dedication of our players," he said.
Al-Badani acknowledged the close competition among the participating teams, stating, "Our team boasts a generation of players who are considered the best in Yemen." He also highlighted the team's previous successes, having won two titles in the junior category, and expressed hope for further achievements.
The tournament will follow a single-round robin format in the group stage, with the top team from each group and the best second-placed team advancing to the semi-finals. The winners of the semi-finals will then compete for the championship title.
The tournament, organized by the West Asian Football Federation, will continue until July 5th and features 12 participating teams.