Game Information
What: International Friendly
When: September 6th, 2018
Where: Dolen Omurzakov Stadium, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
Kickoff: 5 PM Jerusalem Time
Streams/TV: Streamed Live on our Facebook Channel.
Previous Encounters:
2006 AFC Challenge Cup: Palestine 0:1 Kyrgyz Republic
2010 AFC Challenge Cup: Palestine 1:1 Kyrgyz Republic
2014 AFC Challenge Cup: Kyrgyz Republic 0:1 Palestine
Palestinians Abroad join the fold
Good Test
The match is a chance for several fringe players to state their case. Rami Hamadi will miss this friendly due to injury as will his Hilal Al-Quds teammates Mohammed Darweesh and Jonathan Cantillana.
Their absences will provide opportunities for other players in the squad.
Toufic Ali can all but guarantee himself a spot in the Asian Cup squad after his main competition- Ghanem Mahajneh- decided to play in the Israeli league. The giant goalkeeper made no mistakes in an unofficial friendly vs. Afghanistan and kept a clean sheet in Taraji Wadi Al-Nes’s first WBPL match this season.
While Darweesh is almost certain to start any match of importance his partners in midfield are very much a mystery. Shadi Shaban’s performances over the past year have been shaky at best and neither Mohammed Yameen nor Odai Kharoub has particularly impressed.
Pablo Tamburrini’s return from a long injury layoff may come at the right time for him and the national team. Mohammed Basim is another Al-Bireh player could also force his way into the reckoning earning his first call up after consistently good performances at Olympic level.
A year ago, Jonathan Cantillana would have been assured of a place in the Asian Cup squad but his uncertain status at club level means he could very well miss out. The Santiago born midfielder has been consistent since debuting in 2015 but there is no shortage of possible replacements.
Cantillana had been placed on the left side of midfield throughout the majority of his national team career but is naturally right footed which means he’ll have to fight off the likes of Islam Batran, Mahmoud Eid, and Sameh Maraaba to retain his spot in the team. There is also the possibility of Hosam Aiesh finally joining the ranks which would only further complicate Cantillana’s return.
The positional battles don’t stop there. Mohammed Saleh and Tamer Salah will continue their battle to be third choice center back. Jaka Ihbeisheh is back in the side for the first time in a year and will most likely feature as a right back in this match.
Palestine Squad
Kyrgyzstan Squad
Pavel MATIASH (AGMK, Uzbekistan)
Valery KASHUBA (Dordoi, Kyrgyzstan)
Ruslan AMIROV (Alga, Kyrgyzstan)
Defenders:
Kursanbek SHERATOV (Dordoi)
Avazbek OTKEEV (Dordoi)
Mustafa YUSUPOV (Dordoi)
Tamirlan KOZUBAEV (Dordoi)
Askarbek SALIEV (Dordoi)
Daniel TAGOE (Dordoi)
Sherzot SHAKIROV (Neftchi, Kyrgyzstan)
Bakhtiyar DUISHBEKOV (Kelantan, Malaysia)
Midfielders:
Pavel SIDORENKO (Dordoi)
Aziz SYDYKOV (Dordoi)
Farkhat MUSABEKOV (Dordoi)
Kairat Zhyrgalbek UULU (Dordoi)
Bekzhan SAGYNBAEV (Dordoi)
Odilzhon ABDURAKHMANOV (Alay, Kyrgyzstan)
Edgar BERNHARDT (Tychy, Poland)
Ahlidin ISRAILOV (without club)
Forwards:
Mirlan MURZAEV (Somaspor, Turkey)
Ernist BATYRKANOV (Dordoi)