Al-Hilal top Saudi Arabia's youth list in Asia: absence of the Roshn Saudi League's top scorer
"Al-Akhdar" prepares for a strong tournament
Al Hilal players dominated the Saudi Arabia Under-21 squad named for the Asian Games football tournament, but there was no place for the Joy Elite League's top scorer.
Saudi Arabia's Under-21s are gearing up for the Asian Games in the Japanese city of Nagoya, running from 14 September until 3 October this year.
Italian boss Luigi Di Biagio, head coach of the young "Green Falcons", named a final 23-man list for the tournament. Four of them come from Al Hilal: Mishal Al Daood, Saad Al Mutairi, Sabri Dahal and Turki Al Ghamil.
Al Nassr contribute three players in Awad Aman, Bassam Hazazi and Saad Haqawi. Al Ittihad have two, Mohammed Barnawi and Farha Al Shamrani, as do Al Qadsiah with Ammar Al Yehaibi and Iyad Housa.
Al Ahli managed just one representative, winger Ziyad Malla, the second top scorer in the Joy Elite League (the Saudi Under-21 League) with 4 goals, level with Al Fateh's Cape Verde arrival Jefferson Ramos.
The biggest shock was the omission of the league's leading scorer, Al Ittifaq striker Mohammed Al Issa, who bagged 5 goals in the tournament's opening two matches.
Saudi Arabia land in Group Four at the Asian Games alongside Qatar, whom they face on 18 September. Their meeting with South Korea follows four days later.
Below is the Saudi Arabia Under-21 squad list
Abdulrahman Al Ghamdi - Al Taawoun
Yazan Al Ruwaili - Al Hazem
Mahmoud Al Barieh - Al Fateh
Awad Dahal - Al Ittifaq
Sultan Al Issa - Al Riyadh
Mohammed Barnawi - Al Ittihad
Mishal Al Daood - Al Hilal
Awad Aman - Al Nassr
Abdulaziz Al Suwailem - Al Fateh
Saad Al Mutairi - Al Hilal
Yazan Madani - Al Kholood
Bassam Hazazi - Al Nassr
Abdulaziz Al Fawaz - Al Fateh
Iyad Housa - Al Qadsiah
Farha Al Shamrani - Al Ittihad
Rakan Al Ghamdi - Al Nassr
Ammar Al Yehaibi - Al Qadsiah
Ziyad Malla - Al Ahli
Sabri Dahal - Al Hilal
Saad Haqawi - Al Nassr
Thamer Al Khaibari - Al Khaleej
Turki Al Ghamil - Al Hilal
