Mahmoud hands opportunity to fringe players

Newly acquired Jabal Al-Mukaber goalkeeper Majdi Khalaila

Jamal Mahmoud has begun working out which 23 players to take to Nepal with their opening game against the hosts less than 50 days away. Due to the tournament not being held in the summer (or coinciding with any FIFA match dates) Palestine will be without most, if not all, their foreign-based players. Mahmoud is expected to rely on the same core of players that advanced to the semifinals of last month's Pan-Arab games. That said, changes should be expected,which is why Jamal Mahmoud is holding a camp for 24 WBPL and Palestinian First Division players who have yet to feature in official matches.

The list is made up of some prominent players such as Khaled Mahdi who started two World Cup qualifiers and Olympic Team starlet Abdelhamid Abuhabib. The players will meet up tomorrow for a training session at the Faisal Al-Husseini Memorial Stadium. Preparations for the Challenge Cup should kickoff after the 13th Round of WBPL matches are concluded on February 4th. Here is the list in full:

Goalkeepers: 
Majdi Khalaila (Jabal Al-Mukaber)
Firas Biyadseh (Silwan*)
Fahed Al-Fakhuri (Thaqafi Tulkraem)


Defenders: 
Ahmed Abdullah Salameh (Al-Am'ary)
Khaled Mahdi (Al-Am'ary)
Abdelsalam Al-Sweikeri (Hilal Al-Quds)
Kamel Jebareen (Jabal Al-Mukaber)
Hilal Al-Sane' (Shabab Al-Dhahrieh)
Thaer Jabour (Yatta*)

Midfielders:
Mahmoud "Al-Koori" Salah (Al-Am'ary)
Abdelhamid Abuhabib (Balata)
Ahmed Al-Huweiti (Balata)
Sameh Maraaba (Islami Qalqilya*)
Hani Abu Bilal (Shabab Al-Dhahrieh)
Mohammed Jamal Jebreen (Shabab Al-Khaleel)
Adham Hadi (Shabab Al-Khaleel)

Saleh Mahajna (Yatta*)

Forwards: 
Khaldoun Al-Halman (Ahly Al-Khaleel*)
Mohammed Nael (Al-Bireh)
Lu'ay Nassar (Islami Qalqilya*)
Ahmed Maher (Shabab Al-Dhahrieh)
Mohammed Abu Kishik (Thaqafi Tulkarem)
Thaer Mur (Yatta*)

* Denotes First Division Side