National team coach Graham Arnold confirmed today, Wednesday, that the team is looking to improve its performance in the upcoming matches against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, noting that the team lost focus during the second half against Oman.
Arnold said during the press conference that followed Iraq's draw with Oman (1-1) at the start of its campaign in the Gulf 27 Championship, which was covered by “Video News Agency,” that "the team had a good first half, but we lost focus in the second half," expressing his hope to "improve performance in the upcoming matches against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia."
He added that "the team had opportunities during the last fifteen minutes of the match, but they were unable to convert those into goals," indicating that "he gave opportunities to several new players, and he believes in the team's ability to deliver outstanding performances in the upcoming matches against Kuwait and Saudi Arabia."
Arnold criticized the pitch, stating that "major tournaments, such as the Gulf Championship, require pitches of appropriate quality, and the grass should not be this long," warning that "this could lead to injuries for players."