Morocco begins its journey in the Arab Cup in Qatar today, facing the Comoros in an African matchup at 16:00 UAE time. Despite participating with a second-string squad, Morocco is considered a strong favorite to win the tournament. This is due to the significant progress the team has made in recent years, including reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, the youth team winning the U-20 World Cup, and consistent performances at continental and international levels.
Head coach Tarik Sketiwi confirmed that his team will compete with strong determination to win the title. "The first goal is to get out of the group, and then we will take it step by step," he stated. Sketiwi has assembled a strong, experienced squad featuring forwards Abdelrazak Hamdallah, Walid Azaro, and Achraf Bencharki. However, Bencharki will miss the first two matches due to an injury he sustained with his club, Al Ahly, in the CAF Champions League.
Meanwhile, the Comoros are making their first appearance in the Arab Cup finals. They qualified for the tournament by defeating Yemen in a penalty shootout following a thrilling 4-4 draw in the play-off.
In Group B, Saudi Arabia, in their seventh participation, will be aiming for a perfect start against Oman in a "Gulf Derby" at Education City Stadium at 21:00 UAE time. The Saudi team, coached by Frenchman Hervé Renard, is led by the best professional player in Asia, Salem Al-Dawsari, and also features Naif Al-Qahtani, Hassan Al-Tambakti, Abdullah Al-Amri, and Saleh Al-Shamati. Oman also qualified for the finals with a hard-fought win over Somalia in a penalty shootout and will be counting on players like Ibrahim Al-Makhkani, Jameel Al-Yahmadi, Naser Al-Ruwahi, and Issam Al-Sabhi.
In Group C, Kuwait faces a tough test against Egypt at Lusail Stadium at 18:30 UAE time. The group also includes Jordan and the UAE. Kuwait enters the match with high morale after a 2-0 victory over Mauritania in the qualifying rounds, relying on strong fan support. The Football Federation has arranged special charter flights to Doha to facilitate support for the team.
Egypt is being represented by a squad specifically prepared for the tournament under head coach Helmy Tolba. The squad was completed with the addition of goalkeeper Mohamed El-Awad and defender Mahmoud El-Wanash after they fulfilled their commitments with Zamalek in the CAF Confederation Cup. They join players like Mohamed Elneny, Akram Tawfik, Amr El-Sulaya, and Mohamed Sherif.
