The element of surprise will be present in the Basra meeting

Iraqi coaches revealed their expectations that the national team coach, Romanian Eulario Cosmin, would resort to a different tactical approach in the return match against the Iraqi team, scheduled for the day after tomorrow, Tuesday, at Basra International Stadium, as part of the third Asian qualifier for the global playoff for the 2026 World Cup. They pointed out that Cosmin was surprised by the pressing style in which the Iraqi team played from the first minutes of the first leg, which ended in a 1-1 draw at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

The city of Basra is expected to witness heavy rains during the next two days, according to weather news bulletins, which requires that the elected officials be prepared to deal with the expected climatic conditions.

The Iraqi coaches confirmed to Emirates Al-Youm that the element of surprise would be present in the Basra match, noting that the Iraqi-Australian national team coach, Arnold, was surprised that Cosmin did not include players Caio Lucas, Caio Canedo, Khalifa Al-Hammadi and Kouami in the UAE national team’s starting lineup for the first leg, noting that the substitutions made by the Romanian coach in the second half were successful and clearly exhausted the Iraqi defense.

Coach Nizar Ashraf said: “The Emirati player is not accustomed to playing under high pressure, so it seemed clear that he was surprised by the way Iraq played under pressure, especially with the adoption of the 4-4-2 system.”

As for coach Salam Hashem, he said: “Kozmin did not read well the capabilities of the Iraqi team before the first leg, which gave the Iraqi coach the advantage to continue in the same way. “I expect both coaches to make tactical adjustments in the return match to ensure the element of surprise.”

In the same context, coach Thaer Jassam said: “The pressing method was the most appropriate solution for the Iraqi team, and it gave its players almost complete control. The positive performance led by Arnold confirms that the team has not retreated, and the return match will be difficult with new solutions from Arnold and Kuzmin.”

In turn, coach Jamal Ali said: “The Emiratis are not accustomed to the high pressure that Iraq imposed in the first 60 minutes. “Kozmin seemed comfortable with leaving tied at the end of the first half, especially after Iraq’s strong attacking momentum.”

In another matter, the coaches criticized the statements of the President of the Iraqi Football Association, Adnan Darjal, after the first-leg match, when he blamed coach Arnold for replacing the national team striker and scorer, Ali Al-Hammadi, between the two halves of the match. They explained that Darjal was not aware that the substitution came as a result of the injury, noting that his statements came at an inappropriate time, especially with the return match approaching and the lack of time available for criticism or confusion. They confirmed that bringing in striker Ayman Hussein was a successful decision, and contributed to strengthening the Iraqi national team’s defenses during the final third of the match in the face of the strong offensive pressure of the Emirati Whites.