Depleted Markhiya face Shamal today

Al Markhiya will clash with Al Shamal, while Al Kharaitiyat take on Al Shahania in the first round matches of HH The Emir Cup. For Markhiya, it will be a tough task against Shamal, in the absences of many players. Markhiya’s Tunisian coach Adel al-Sellimi said he will have to do without several players due to suspension and injuries, most notably Ammar Hamsane, Reeben Solaqa, Lawrence, Abdelkader Elias and Nasser El Nasr.
Salih al-Yahri and Mohamed Salah al-Nil are also doubtful for today’s match. However, al-Sellimi was confident his reserve players will rise to the challenge.
“Our ambition is to go as far as possible in the Emir Cup. We will go all out to win against Shamal. It will not be an easy match, and it’s hard to predict the outcome,” he said. Second division team Al Shamal qualified for the main draw of HH The Emir Cup with a 2-0 win over fellow minnows Muaither. Shamal coach Silvio Diliberto said it was a very important tournament for his team.
“The second division teams are expected to go out in the first round itself, but we want to prove everyone wrong,” Diliberto said yesterday. “Some of my players are on the verge of retirement and they hope to end on a winning note. The team has some very talented young players, who are looking to impress in the tournament,” he added. 
Meanwhile, Al Shahania coach Jose Gonzalez was confident of his team winning against Al Kharaitiyat, the second match of the day which will kick-off at 8pm. “The team has prepared for the match and played several friendly matches, and they know that facing Kharitiyat will be an important test,” said Gonzalez.
The Shahania coach felt it is hard to predict Cup matches, adding that the game is of great importance to them, especially after their promotion to the QNB Stars League. Al Kharaitiyat, who beat Al Wakrah in the play-off to stay in the QNB Stars League last week, will be confident going into the match. The play-off was between QNB Stars League’s 11th-placed team Al Kharaitiyat and Second Division runners-up Al Wakrah.
Kharaitiyat’s coach Yasser al-Sebaei said that having succeeded in staying in the league now they have switched their focus to HH The Emir Cup. Al-Sebaei said: “Shahaniya is a hard working team. The draw is a difficult one for us because Shahaniya are second division champions are one of the difficult team to face in the first round.” Kharaitiyat’s coach revealed that the team would miss Anwar Deppa due to injury, as well as Abdulaziz al-Ansari and al-Khamasi and goalkeeper Ahmed Sufian.