Injured al-Ahrak out of World Cup

Qatar midfielder Abdullah al-Ahrak was ruled out of the World Cup after suffering a cruciate ligament injury, the Qatar Football Association said in a tweet on Monday. The Duhail player will be out of action for 9 months, which means he will miss the World Cup, which will be held in Qatar from November 20 to December 18. Qatar open the campaign against Ecuador on November 20 at the Al Bayt Stadium in Group A, which also has the Netherlands and Senegal. Qatar players are currently training and playing friendly matches in Europe as they prepare for the biggest tournament of their lives.