World Cup teams Ghana, Switzerland fit in warmup friendly

GENEVA (AP) — World Cup groups Ghana and Switzerland are benefiting from their late begin on the event in Qatar to play one another in a warmup pleasant within the United Arab Emirates.

The Swiss soccer federation mentioned Monday the sport shall be performed in Abu Dhabi on Nov. 17 — one week earlier than the groups play their opening group video games on the World Cup. The event begins Nov. 20 however Switzerland opens on Nov. 24 in Group G in opposition to Cameroon, a west African staff like Ghana. The group additionally contains Brazil and Serbia.

Ghana is in Group H and likewise begins Nov. 24 in opposition to Portugal. Ghana additionally performs South Korea and Uruguay.

With most European golf equipment enjoying home league video games till the Nov. 12-13 weekend, many World Cup gamers will be a part of their nationwide staff squads only one week earlier than the event. World Cup guidelines don’t let groups play friendlies lower than 5 days earlier than their first sport.

World Cup groups normally have extra time to organize however this event is being squeezed into the home seasons in November and December to keep away from Qatar’s searing desert warmth in June and July.

The World Cup had been set to start out Nov. 21 however organizers decided this month to maneuver up host Qatar’s opening sport in opposition to Ecuador by at some point.

Serbia’s soccer federation mentioned final week its staff will play a pleasant in Bahrain on Nov. 18 earlier than touring to close by Qatar.

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Extra AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

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