Al-Saktawi: Injuries affected the readiness of Oman's players

Tariq Sektiwi, the Moroccan coach of the Oman national team, stated that the 1-1 draw against Iraq in the opening match of both teams' campaigns in the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup came amid different preparation conditions.

Sektiwi said, “In the first half, we were not good in possession and did not handle counter-attacks as required, but the reaction in the second half was positive, and the players followed the instructions.”

He added, “There are differences in the circumstances, not tactical ones. We had only three training camps, the last of which lasted nine days with local players, whereas Iraq enjoys greater technical stability and has played more matches with the same group.”

Sektiwi noted that the return of several Omani players from injuries affected their physical readiness, which, in his view, was evident during the final ten minutes of the match.

He viewed the draw in Oman’s opening match of the 27th Arabian Gulf Cup as something that cannot be interpreted solely from a tactical perspective, but is also linked to the team’s overall readiness and the stability achieved before the tournament. He emphasized that the improvement seen in the second half represents a positive aspect that can be built upon in upcoming matches.