Arnold Clings to Hope Before France Clash

Graham Arnold, coach of the Lions of Mesopotamia, clings to a thread of optimism before the crucial confrontation against France early Monday at Lincoln Field in Philadelphia, as part of the second round of the 2026 World Cup group stage.

The Australian coach enters the match under the pressure of a 1-4 loss to Norway last Wednesday in Boston, a match where Ayman Hussein shone with a historic goal and Iraq delivered a perfect first half before physically collapsing and conceding goals in the second half.

In his press conference, Arnold revealed that he gave the players a 24-hour rest to erase the disappointment of Norway from their minds. However, he refused to focus on the dark side, saying: "I look at what is positive. We played 70 minutes at a very excellent level, and the challenge now is to extend this performance to the full 90 minutes. I trust these players and I am proud of what they have delivered."

The coach recalled details of the match to respond to criticisms: "Review the game, Norway created only one clear chance which Jalal Hassan saved brilliantly. We were the ones who missed clear chances and made individual mistakes that cost us dearly. If we had avoided them, the story would have been different. The lesson now is to correct these mistakes and present a better face against France."

Arnold shared insights from his experience against the "Roosters" when he led Australia in the Qatar 2022 World Cup: "The most important thing I learned from facing France is that if you score the opening goal, they will punish you immediately," he added with a laugh. "A positive mentality is our only weapon."

The Australian coach placed a significant moral responsibility on the Iraqi fans, describing them as the "12th player": "Our return to the World Cup after 40 years of absence is an exceptional achievement in itself, and it gave the Iraqi people a chance to be proud of their team. The players are hurt by the second half scenario, but they delivered a great performance. I ask everyone to continue believing and supporting; we are still in the group stage and our hope remains in the upcoming two matches."