Iraq’s Gulf Cup 27 match against Oman ends in 1-1 draw

Iraq vs Oman match in the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup. Photo: INA Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi and Omani national teams drew 1-1 on Wednesday in the opening match of the 27th Gulf Cup held at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Iraq launched a strong attack, causing Oman to make a defensive mistake. Zaid Ismail took advantage of the rebound and set it up for Mohammed Qasim, who fired a rocket shot with his left foot into the near corner, giving the “Lions of Mesopotamia” an early lead in the sixth minute. The Omani team’s performance improved, and their level rose during the second half. After a decisive and skillful pass from Ahmed al-Kaabi, Nasser al-Rawahi scored the equalizer brilliantly from a close range, winning the “Man of the Match” award in recognition of his outstanding performance. In a candid evaluation, Australian coach Graham Arnold, who manages the Iraqi national team, acknowledged that the team’s performance fell short of expectations. He pointed out that the rushed preparations had hindered the implementation of their tactical plan. The Iraqi team only had one training session before the tournament compared to six for the Omani team. “We were not the better side, and we must work harder in the coming matches to secure the win,” Arnold said. The manager of the Oman team, Tarik Sektioui, expressed his great pride in his team, describing the squad as “fighters” for their ability to recover from an early setback and snatch a vital opening point against the defending champions.