Graham Arnold Comments After Defeat to Norway

Australian Graham Arnold, coach of the Iraqi national team, commented on the heavy 1-4 defeat to Norway in the match held at Gillette Stadium in Boston, as part of the opening matches of Group Nine in the 2026 World Cup hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

The match witnessed a remarkable performance by striker Erling Haaland, who scored twice in the 29th and 43rd minutes, before defender Leo Ostigard added the third goal in the 77th minute. Iraq reduced the deficit through Ayman Hussein in the 39th minute with a historic goal that revived hope, but Ayman returned to score an own goal in the 90+6 minute, completing Norway's quartet.

In the press conference following the match, Arnold praised the strength of the opponent, saying: "The Norwegian team is exceptional and one of the contenders to go far in the tournament, possessing world-class players like Erling Haaland. We tried our best to achieve a positive result, but unfortunately, we failed." 

The Australian coach emphasized that facing a striker of Haaland's caliber requires full concentration for 90 minutes: "When you face a striker who scores from half-chances like Haaland, you must be alert every moment. We tried to stop him through defense and midfield, but Norway punished us for the slightest mistakes. I hope we overcome the naive errors that cost us dearly."

Despite the harsh result, Arnold refused to succumb to frustration and urged his players to learn from the experience: "We must learn from the Norway lesson and take the positives with us to the next stage. There's no time to cry over the match, the important thing now is to turn this page and focus on collecting points in the remaining two encounters. On paper, Iraq is still capable of qualifying."

The coach praised the performance in the first half, considering it the best for the team: "The players delivered an exceptional performance before the break, everyone was at their best and we could have scored more than one goal. We had several clear chances but did not capitalize on them, and in football against big teams, if you don't score, you concede."

Arnold concluded his remarks with a reassuring message to the Iraqi fans, pointing out the value of returning to the World Cup after a 40-year absence: "The atmosphere was fantastic and the occasion very special for Iraq and its people. Our return to the World Cup is an achievement in itself. We will believe in our chances and fight to present a better image despite the difficulty of the task."