Ali Al Habsi named for qualifier against Saudi  - Wigan custodian Ali Al Habsi was among the 22 players named by Oman coach Paul Le Guen for their 2014 FIFA World Cup Asian qualifier against Saudi Arabia next month.

The team will begin training from August 23 for their September 2 clash against the ‘Sons of the desert’ at home, reported Oman Daily Observer. Oman are also scheduled to play a friendly against Kuwait on August 27. The Sultanate will travel to Thailand for their second game of the qualifiers on September 6.

They will meet Australia away on October 11. New Saudi coach Frank Rijkaard has announced a 28-member squad for his side’s qualifier against Oman. Former AFC Player of the Year Yasser Al Qahtani, who has joined UAE outfit Al Ain on loan from Saudi giants Al Hilal recently, has been recalled while Mohammad Noor was left out of the squad.

Al Qahtani had missed the second round of qualifier against Hong Kong due to an injury but is back to bolster their attack in the third round. The team will have a training camp in Abu Dhabi from August 22.

The ‘Sons of the desert’ will host Australia on September 6 and will travel to Bangkok for their third fixture against Thailand on October 11.

Oman squad
Ali Al Habsi, Mohammed Huwaidi, Ismail Al Ajmi, Hassan Mudhaffar, Ahmed Mubarak ‘Kanu’, Fauzi Basheer, Imaad Al Hosni, Ahmed Hadeed, Faiz Rushaidi, Hassan Rabee’a, Qasim Masoud, Abdulrahman Saleh, Mohammed Saleh, Eid Al Farsi, Ahmed Saleem, Saad Suhail, Nasser Al Ali, Hamoud Al Saadi, Rashid Al Farsi, Hashim Saleh, Abdullah Al Handasi, Mohammed She’eba.

Saudi Arabia squad
Hasan A Otaibi, Yasser Al Musailim, Waleed Abdallah, Husein Shiaan, Abdallah Shohail, HAsan Muath, Ahmad Otaif, Nasser Al Shamrani, Osama Hosawi, Majed Al Mershidi, Abdallah Al Zouri, Mohammad Al Shalhoub, Nawaf Al Abed, Hamad Al Montashiri, Osama Al Mowalad, Rashed Al Raheb, Nayef Hazzazi, Taysir Al Jasem, Mutaz Al Musa, Ibrahim Ghaleb, Saoud Hmoud, Yousef Al Salem, Yahya Al Shahri, Mohammad Al Sahlawi, Ahmad Al Faridi, Saoud Kariri, Abdulazizi Al Dosari, Yasser Al Qahtani.