National team coach Graham Arnold confirmed today, Friday, that the team is looking to achieve victory in their match against Kuwait, noting the players' readiness and his confidence in their abilities.
Arnold said during the press conference for the Iraq-Kuwait match, which was followed by the News Video Agency, that "the match will be very good and we are eagerly looking forward to it, and we are all confident of achieving victory tomorrow," explaining that "the team has done excellent work and the training is at a high level."
He added that "the Gulf Cup represents an ideal opportunity to try out new elements and work towards a better football future for our national team," clarifying that "our squad includes 50 percent of players who participated in the World Cup and 50 percent of new faces ready to showcase their skills."
He pointed out that the coaching staff "is closely monitoring the work and efforts of the Kuwaiti team," confirming that the Kuwaiti national team "has a large group of outstanding young players."
Regarding the lineup, Arnold explained that "the coaching staff will make some changes to address fatigue and the extreme heat," noting that "calling up 26 players to represent the Iraqi people is a high responsibility."
He affirmed that "despite the frustration that has affected the sports street in the past, we have the strength," stressing that he is "completely confident in the players' abilities and in the Iraqi spirit to fight and achieve victory."
Regarding the weather conditions, Arnold stated that the team has "fully adapted to the climate and hot weather after having enough time to acclimatize," confirming that "everyone is fully prepared to show their best and achieve the best possible result against Kuwait."
On the issue of injuries, he clarified that "some players sustained muscle injuries due to the height of the grass on the pitch in the previous match, which caused these injuries," expressing hope that "the pitch will be ready and in perfect condition tomorrow."