Graham Arnold says Iraq must improve after Oman draw at Gulf Cup 27

Iraq manager Graham Arnold admitted his side did not perform as required after being held to a 1-1 draw by Oman in their opening match of Gulf Cup 27 on Wednesday.

The two teams met at Prince Abdullah Al Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, where Iraq were unable to secure victory despite creating opportunities late in the game.

“We were not the better team, and we must work harder in the coming matches to claim wins,” Arnold said at his post-match news conference.

The Australian coach said Iraq had been affected by the limited time available to prepare for the tournament. His team had completed only one training session before facing Oman, while their opponents had held more than six sessions.

Arnold also highlighted the contribution of Iraq’s younger players and said his team had finished the match strongly.

“We involved a number of young players and created several chances in the final quarter of an hour, but we were unable to turn them into goals,” he said.

“I am proud of the players, and we will perform better in the upcoming matches.”

Despite acknowledging that Iraq had not been the stronger side, Arnold said the team’s late opportunities offered encouragement ahead of their next fixtures.

The manager also criticised the condition of the pitch at the stadium, focusing on the length of the grass and its potential effect on players.

“In major tournaments such as the Gulf Cup, the grass cannot be this long,” Arnold said.

“This has an impact and causes player injuries. It should be taken into consideration in the future.”