Iraq - Oman... For a "Successful Start"
Iraq kicks off its 18th participation in the Gulf Cup with a heated clash against Oman at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium in Jeddah, as part of Group A in the "Arab House Gulf Cup 27" tournament.
Iraq hopes for a positive start, relying on technical stability under Australian coach Graham Arnold, who will continue his tenure after leading the team to the 2026 World Cup qualifiers last summer, ending a four-decade absence.
The 63-year-old Australian coach has decided to retain striker Ayman Hussein (Bukhoro of Uzbekistan) as the team’s captain for the Gulf campaign, seeking to establish a stable combination across the "Black Hawks of the Tigris" lines. He aims to restructure the national team in preparation for the Asian Cup early next year, also to be held in Saudi Arabia, while focusing on a strong and positive start, as it provides players with the moral boost needed to continue delivering their best performances.
In this regard, former international player Haider Mahmoud told the French Press Agency (AFP): "Any coach always relies on a strong start in any tournament. However, following the changes Arnold has made and the inclusion of new faces to strengthen the squad, this is a positive development that will benefit the national team in the long run."
Mahmoud, who represented Iraq in the 2004 Gulf Cup in Doha, added: "Despite the social media backlash against the coach’s selection of certain players who some believe do not deserve a place in the Iraqi national team, the coach has a technical vision, and ultimately, he is responsible for the outcomes of his choices."
He continued: "The Omani national team must never be underestimated. They consistently perform strongly and tenaciously in Gulf Cup tournaments, a performance profile that differs significantly from their record in continental qualifiers."
Meanwhile, Oman dreams of winning its third Gulf Cup title, having previously triumphed in 2009 on home soil and in 2017 in Kuwait.
The Omani team has embarked on a new era under Moroccan coach Tarik Sektioui and will test itself in a difficult group that also includes Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.
The "Reds" enter the tournament amid changes in squad composition compared to their previous participation, with 12 players absent, alongside injuries and doubts about the fitness of some others.
The Omani team will not be an easy target for Iraq, especially given that they reached the final of the 2023 Gulf Cup in Basra, where they lost 2-3 to the hosts after extra time, before losing the 2024 Gulf Cup final in Kuwait to Bahrain 1-2.
