Palestine coach explains Al Dabbagh and Hamdan absences after China camp

Palestine manager Ehab Abu Jazar says Zamalek forward Oday Al Dabbagh and Pyramids player Hamed Hamdan suffered acute illnesses after returning from the national team’s 16-day training camp in China.

Al Dabbagh was left on the bench for Zamalek’s match against Al Ahly after developing a severe cold, while Hamdan missed Pyramids’ game against Ceramica Cleopatra for the same reason.

“ Oday Al Dabbagh and Hamed Hamdan were part of the team’s camp in China, which lasted 16 days, and they were in perfectly normal condition,” Abu Jazar told MBC Masr 2.

“I believe they experienced an emergency situation and developed a severe cold after returning from China.”

Abu Jazar said the camp had helped Palestine prepare for the Asian Cup, with the team scoring 11 goals in three matches against opponents from three different footballing schools.

“The camp was very successful,” he said. “We scored 11 goals in three matches against three different footballing schools, and we have identified 80% of the squad that will play in the Asian Cup.”

The manager also discussed the meeting between Al Ahly and Zamalek, saying he regularly watches the Cairo rivals because both sides include Palestinian internationals.

“I follow the Al Ahly and Zamalek derby matches regularly, particularly because Palestinian international players are involved,” Abu Jazar said.

“I believe the match was lacking in attacking quality, but Al Ahly won it because of small details in which they were superior.”

Abu Jazar also expressed his concern over the absence of Wessam Abu Ali, who is recovering from a serious knee injury.

“We badly miss Wessam Abu Ali and hope he returns to the pitch quickly,” he said. “He produced an impressive level with Al Ahly, and his numbers in the American league were comparable with Messi’s before he suffered the injury.”

Former Al Ahly striker Wessam Abu Ali now plays for Columbus Crew in the United States. He is currently following a rehabilitation programme after suffering a cruciate ligament tear.

Al Dabbagh made a significant contribution during the recent international break, scoring four goals and providing one assist in three appearances for Palestine during the friendly tournament in China.

The forward is Palestine’s all-time leading scorer, with 21 goals for the national team.