Baghdad - INA
Iraqi fans are focused on the crucial match against Senegal, which represents their last chance to advance to the second round. Several former Iraqi football stars and sports analysts believe that correcting individual errors, achieving technical stability, and capitalizing on fan support will be decisive factors in securing victory in the anticipated match.
In this regard, former international player Arkan Najib emphasized that all matches in the group stage have been difficult from the outset. He noted that pre-tournament expectations were based on the necessity of delivering a respectable performance, minimizing mistakes, maintaining the highest levels of focus, and expressing great confidence in the coaching staff, who had developed a clear strategy to address the group's challenges.
Najib told the Iraqi News Agency (INA): "The plan was to minimize losses in the first two matches, hoping to achieve victory against Senegal, considering that the Iraqi and Senegalese teams were the most affected in the group."
He added, "Individual errors in both matches, coupled with changes in certain positions, particularly in goal, led to some confusion that affected the results, despite the team's good collective performance and clear tactical discipline thanks to the coach's work."
He pointed out that "conceding a large number of goals could have been avoided," explaining that "heavy losses affect morale and the team's character in the tournament." However, he expressed optimism ahead of the Senegal match, emphasizing that "the previous two matches gave both coaching staffs ample opportunity to study their opponents, and the coach who succeeds in identifying strengths and weaknesses, selecting the right lineup, and managing the game will be the most likely to achieve a positive result, despite the difficulty of the encounter."
Najib added that "the participation of more than twenty players in the last two matches gave the coaching staff an important opportunity to involve most of the team's players, introduce them to the competitive atmosphere, and accurately identify technical errors." He also highlighted the technical value that Zaidan Iqbal brought to the midfield alongside Zaid Ismail and Amir Al-Ammari, emphasizing that "the Iraqi national team performed better against the French team, at a time when the French team's players were more prepared and complete."
He explained that "the match against Senegal differs technically from the previous two matches, as the Senegalese team relies more on physical strength, which requires special preparation from the players to deal with the nature of the match."