Brazilian Carlos Junior, player of Al-Shabab first football team, ended an absence of 173 days due to injury after his participation against Politehnica of Romania, which ended with a goalless draw in the first friendly match for the "Lions" on Tuesday as part of the ongoing camp in Austria preparing for the new season. Junior (30 years old) was absent for a long period, specifically since last January 29 when he suffered an abdominal muscle injury during the match against Al-Khuld in the 21st round of the Saudi Roshn League. Junior underwent a treatment and rehabilitation program after undergoing surgery in his country before returning to his team during the current preparation period. Junior played in the first half of the Politehnica match, which German coach Thomas Letsch fielded with two lineups. He started with a squad consisting of Mohammed Al-Mahasneh in goal, Mohammed Al-Thani, Mubarak Al-Rajih, Mohammed Al-Shuwaikh, Sultan Al-Anazi, Swiss Vincent Sierro, English Josh Brownhill, French Yassine Adli, Hammam Al-Hammami, Belgian Yannick Carrasco, and Brazilian Carlos Junior. In the second half, the German coach fielded a new lineup consisting of: Abdulaziz Al-Awirdhi in goal, Hussein Sabiani, Ali Makki, Nawaf Masrahi, Emad Qaysi, Basel Al-Sayali, Faisal Sabiani, Muqran Abanmi, Majed Hani, Hisham Al-Dubais, and Abdullah Maatouq. Three more friendly matches remain for the Al-Shabab team in the camp program, against Al-Nasr of the UAE, Al-Ahli of Qatar, and Mouloudia of Algeria.