A few days before the anticipated match between the Iraqi national team and its South Korean counterpart at the Basra International Stadium, the coaching staff led by Australian Graham Arnold received a painful blow with the injury of defender Mustafa Saadoun, which opened the door to a new tactical challenge regarding finding a suitable replacement in a sensitive position within the starting lineup.

Mustafa, who suffered a muscle injury in his calf during the team's training last Thursday, missed the last friendly match and is currently undergoing additional tests to determine the severity of the injury and the potential duration of his absence.

According to special sources revealed to the winwin website, the Iraqi coaching staff is considering three main solutions to compensate for Saadoun's absence if it is confirmed that he is not ready to participate:

The defender from Dutch club Heerenveen, Hussein Ali, is the closest option to replace Saadoun. The player has good defensive capabilities and the ability to play in the right-back position, but his lack of match sensitivity recently raises some concerns. Arnold, however, has already started preparing him to be a starter against Korea, given his good tactical vision and intelligent interaction with defensive roles.

If the coach decides to postpone the risk with Hussein Ali, then Frans Batros will be the ready alternative on the bench, with the possibility of using him if the match requires it. Batros has experience and composure, but he has not been consistently featured with the national team recently, which makes the coach hesitant to rely on him as a starter.

If tests show that Saadoun's injury requires more than a week, Arnold has a third option, which involves calling up a player from the local league. According to sources, the coach has noted the names of Amir Sabah (Al-Shorta) and Kazem Raad (Al-Zawraa) in his notebook, due to their physical readiness and experience in the right-back position. However, this decision will only be made after the final medical report regarding Mustafa.

The match between Iraq and South Korea next Thursday is considered an early final for the “Lions of Mesopotamia,” as the team occupies third place in Group B with 12 points, behind Jordan (13) and South Korea (16). Any setback at this stage could complicate the calculations for direct qualification for the World Cup and push Iraq towards a playoff scenario.

Therefore, Mustafa Saadoun's injury could not have come at a worse time, amid the team's need for defensive stability and tactical discipline, especially against a Korean team with high-caliber offensive players led by Son Heung-min and Hwang Hee-chan.

The Iraqi fans, for their part, are awaiting Arnold's decision, hoping that the substitute will be up to the responsibility and that the door will not be opened for mistakes that could cost the team the dream of reaching the 2026 World Cup.