Graham Arnold, coach of the Iraqi national team, expressed satisfaction with the performance his players delivered in the valuable 2-0 victory over Sudan, within the second round of the group stage of the Arab Cup Qatar 2025.

Arnold said: "The Sudanese national team was distinguished and showed good levels both today and in their first match against Algeria, so we did not treat them as an easy opponent. The important thing is that we regained the top spot again and achieved a well-deserved victory."

He added: "Today's win gave us great motivation to raise our ambitions in the tournament. The players performed with commitment, and the substitutes managed to make a difference in the second half, which made me very happy."

He continued explaining: "We suffered from fatigue after facing Bahrain, so we decided to involve a new group of players. Honestly, they proved their readiness and ability to represent the national team, and they executed what was required of them excellently."

Arnold pointed out that the focus is now on the final match: "We deal with each match separately. Now we close the chapter on Sudan and start preparing for the Algeria match. We will seek to avoid defeat because the Algerian national team is among the top contenders for the title. We will play with high concentration and great respect for the opponent."

He concluded his statements by saying: "I trust the players and their ability to deliver a great match against a strong team like Algeria. Our goal is to pass the group stage in the best possible way."