Australian Graham Arnold, coach of the Iraqi national team, expressed his deep regret over the positive draw that the Lions of Mesopotamia achieved with a score of 1-1 against the UAE in the first leg of the Asian playoff qualifying for the global playoff.

The Australian coach said in the press conference following the match: "The result of the match is good and favorable for our team, but I had hoped to secure the victory for Iraq. I thank the players for their great and distinguished performances that showed their true character, and they delivered a wonderful performance against a distinguished and difficult team like the UAE, which includes world-class players. I would like to renew my confidence in the Lions of Mesopotamia after today's match."

Arnold added: "We decided from the beginning to impose pressure on the UAE players and not give them a chance to possess the ball, and we succeeded in executing our plans accurately, despite the difficulties we faced in preparing for the match and the injuries that have affected the team since the start of preparations. However, the team showed great strength and determination and was not affected by the circumstances, thanks to the players' character and their insistence on delivering the best performance."

Arnold concluded his statements by saying: "The match was fantastic from both sides, and the audience enjoyed the level presented. Unfortunately, luck was not on our side, and we could have secured the match in the first half based on our performance. Yes, we did regress in the second half, which is natural after such a physically demanding match, but confidence in the players will remain, and we look forward to the second leg in Basra to achieve the best result."