Under-19 soccer starlets head for Cairo

Dubai: The UAE under-19 team will assemble today before leaving on Thursday for Cairo to meet Egypt in a friendly on March 1.

The match is the first step in preparations for the Asian Youth Cup finals which will be held in Saudi Arabia in November 2008.

UAE coach Juma Rabea selected 20 players for the Egypt match.

They are: Badr Abdullah, Mohammad Jamal, Habib Fardan, Naser Mubarak, Rashid Eisa (Al Wasl); Mohammad Jaber, Ziyab Awana, Amir Abdul Rahman (Bani Yas); Ahmad Mahmoud, Abdul Aziz Haykal, Mohammad Marzouq (Al Shabab); Hamdan Esmail, Salim Saleh (Al Wahda); Sa ad Surour, Mohammad Fawzi (Al Ahli); Yousuf Abdul Rahman (Al Ittihad); Khamis Esmail (Emirates club); Abdul Rahman Abdul Aziz (Al Shaab); Mohammad Faiz (Al Ain); and Hareb Murradad (Al Nasr).

After returning from Cairo, the UAE youth team will play two more friendly matches against Iran's young starlets on March 23 and 25.