The Pakistan national football team has faced delays in obtaining visas for their upcoming AFC Asian Cup qualifying match against Syria. The crucial match is scheduled to take place on March 25 in Saudi Arabia. However, due to visa issuance delays, the team’s planned departure for training on March 12 was postponed.
After overcoming this hurdle, the squad is now set to depart for Saudi Arabia today (Thursday), giving them limited time to prepare for the important fixture.
Coach to Join Team Late
Adding to the team’s challenges, head coach Stephen Constantine will only join the squad in Saudi Arabia five days before the match. This late arrival may impact team coordination and strategy implementation, as the players will have limited time to train under his guidance before the big game.
Reason Behind Visa Delays
The delay in visa issuance was primarily due to an unusually high demand for Umrah visas in Saudi Arabia. As a result, processing the team’s travel documents took longer than expected, causing disruptions to their original training schedule.
Pakistan Squad for AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers
Despite the setback, the national squad is gearing up for the important match. The Pakistan football team squad includes:
Goalkeepers:
Abdul Basit
Adam Najeeb
Yousuf Ejaz Butt
Saqib Hanif
Midfielders:
Alamgir Ali Khan Ghazi
Ali Uzair Mahmood
Ali Zafar
Muhammad Umar Hayat
Raees Nabi
Tauqeer ul Hassan
Umair Ali
Moin Ahmed
Forwards:
Fareedullah
Haroon Hameed
Imran Shahid Kayani
Mikail Aronn Abdullah
Abdul Samad Shehzad
Shaikh Dost
M. Adeel Younis
Defenders:
Abdul Rahman
Abdullah Iqbal
Essa Suleiman
Haseeb Ahmed Khan
Junaid Ahmed Shah
Mamoon Musa Khan
Muhammad Fazal
Waqar Ehtesham
Challenges Ahead for Pakistan Football Team
The visa delay and the late arrival of the head coach add pressure to the team, but the squad remains determined to put up a strong fight in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. With a mix of experienced and young players, Pakistan will look to overcome these challenges and make an impact in their match against Syria.
Final Thoughts
While administrative delays have affected the team’s preparations, fans and football enthusiasts are hopeful that the squad will perform well in their qualifying match. Pakistan’s participation in international football continues to gain momentum, and overcoming such obstacles will only add to its resilience and growth in the sport.
Stay tuned for further updates on Pakistan’s journey in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers!