Saudi Arabia weigh up attacking changes for decisive Iraq meeting in Gulf 27

Saudi Arabia have secured their place in the Gulf 27 semi-finals but are expected to make changes for Tuesday’s final group-stage match against Iraq in Jeddah.

Head coach Georgios Donis has settled on the outline of his starting XI for the match, with top spot in the group still at stake. Although qualification has already been confirmed, Saudi Arabia want to complete the group stage with a positive result and build momentum before the knockout rounds.

The game will also give Donis an opportunity to assess the players available to him and maintain the team’s competitiveness while managing the impact of injuries within the Saudi Arabia squad.

The expected Saudi Arabia line-up against Iraq is:

Goalkeeper: Mohammed Al-Owais

Defenders: Mohammed Abu Al-Shamat, Abdullah Al-Omari, Jihad Zakari, Muteb Al-Harbi

Midfielders: Mohammed Kanno, Abdullah Al-Khaibari, Saleh Abu Al-Shamat

Forwards: Abdullah Al-Salem, Hammam Al-Hamami, Sultan Mandash

Saudi Arabia’s meeting with Iraq remains significant despite their guaranteed semi-final place. Victory would strengthen their prospects of finishing top of the group, while the match will allow Donis to judge the readiness of key players before the next knockout fixture.

The manager is expected to prioritise balance between the different areas of the team and approach Iraq carefully, particularly given the injury-related absences that have affected Saudi Arabia during the tournament.