The anticipation is growing within the Iraqi sports community as the date approaches for the crucial match that the Iraqi national team will play in the global playoff qualifying for the 2026 World Cup finals, amidst great optimism about the ability of the Lions of Mesopotamia to achieve the dream of qualification, especially after the return of striker Ayman Hussein to his usual form in recent times.

The Iraqi team is awaiting a confrontation with the winner of the Bolivia vs. Suriname match in the final meeting of the global playoff, where the match will take place at six o'clock in the morning on the first day of April in Monterrey, Mexico, in a decisive match to determine the team qualifying for the World Cup finals to be held in the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

In this context, Ahmed Wali, the assistant coach of the Iraqi Al-Karma team, confirmed that the technical staff of the Iraqi national team is required to deal realistically with the exceptional circumstances the region is currently experiencing, pointing out the importance of preparing the players psychologically and physically to play this decisive match.

Wali said that the Iraqi team is going through different circumstances that require the technical staff to work according to the available capabilities, especially after the efforts made to facilitate the mission of the team's delegation traveling on the scheduled date, which makes it necessary to motivate the players and prepare them optimally before the anticipated confrontation.

He added that there are ongoing attempts to secure the travel of the Iraqi team in the coming period, by first heading by land to Jordan, and then flying to Mexico to play the global playoff match, expressing his hope that these arrangements will proceed smoothly to ensure the team's arrival on time.

Wali pointed out that the Iraqi team was planning to hold a preparatory training camp in Houston, USA, but the current circumstances led to the cancellation of this camp, which poses an additional challenge for the technical staff in preparing the players as required before the match.

In a related context, Wali explained that the player's absence, Ali Jassim, from participating with his team in recent matches is not a positive indicator for the player or the team, indicating that the lack of participation may affect his technical readiness before the anticipated match.

He also pointed out that the injury of striker Ali Al-Hammadi represents a significant blow to the Iraqi team, given the player's importance in the front line, which may put the technical staff in front of additional challenges on the offensive side, especially concerning creating and capitalizing on opportunities.

On the other hand, the assistant coach of the Al-Karma team noted that the return of striker Ayman Hussein to his physical readiness and regaining his scoring sense is one of the most positive indicators in the ranks of the Iraqi team during the current period.

He explained that Ayman Hussein scoring three goals in the last two matches with his team is clear evidence of regaining his technical level, confirming that the player has succeeded in raising the level of enthusiasm within the team and among the Iraqi fans thanks to his recent brilliance.

Wali indicated that the global playoff matches do not tolerate mistakes or stumbles, as they are held in a direct elimination system, so the focus will be on the ready players who regularly participate with their clubs in various tournaments.

Wali concluded by affirming that Ayman Hussein may be one of the most prominent elements capable of deciding the anticipated confrontation, given his experience in such matches and his ability to handle great pressures.

He concluded his statements by expressing his great confidence in the ability of the Iraqi national team players to achieve a result that meets the aspirations of the Iraqi fans, pointing out that everyone hopes that the Lions of Mesopotamia can snatch the qualification ticket to the World Cup and bring joy to the hearts of Iraqis amidst the difficult security conditions.