The Iraqi national team faced a decisive match against their Saudi counterpart on Tuesday, as part of the third round of the Asian qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, at King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, in a match attended by more than 60,000 spectators, including about 5,000 Iraqi fans.

Although the match ended in a goalless draw 0-0, the performance of the Lions of Mesopotamia showed several positive aspects despite not achieving victory, and three main scenes stood out in the match: defensive performance, tactical discipline, and the level of goalkeeper Jalal Hassan.

Analysts stated: "Goalkeeper Jalal Hassan delivered one of his best performances with the Iraqi national team, as he saved many dangerous chances and kept a clean sheet for the second consecutive match in the qualifiers. Thanks to his precise saves, Iraq was able to absorb the pressure from the Saudi team, which tried to exploit every gap."

Football experts clarified: "The Iraqi national team exhibited great tactical discipline despite the difficulty of the match and the continuous pressure from the Green team. Substitute defender Rebin Solaka cooperated well with Manaf Younis, who was not fully fit after a previous injury, which helped the team maintain balance across all lines and face the intense Saudi attacks."

Analysts pointed out: "Iraqi national team coach Graham Arnold learned lessons from the match against Indonesia and changed the lineup to enhance the team's effectiveness. The defensive style he adopted helped absorb the significant pressure from the Green fans in the first half, but the team lacked the offensive effectiveness needed to seize victory, as the chances were few and they could not seriously threaten the Saudi goal."

Despite the draw, Iraq maintained the strengths that appeared in the match against Indonesia, as the players showed tactical commitment and defensive discipline, in addition to organizing counter-attacks in a coordinated manner. However, the lack of offensive effectiveness remained evident, especially in the absence of player Ayman Hussein, who was expected to be one of the offensive strengths of the team.

The result of the match means that the Iraqi national team could not secure a direct spot in the World Cup, forcing them to go through additional qualifiers, while the Saudi team secured direct qualification thanks to the draw that kept them at the top of Group B on goal difference over the Lions of Mesopotamia.