A Historic Dream for Ayman Hussein and an Offensive Shock for Iraq Before Facing Senegal

The Iraqi national team enters its third and final match in the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico, as it faces Senegal next Friday evening. A match that cannot be divided, as the Lions of Mesopotamia seek to seize the three points and cling to the last thread of hope to qualify as one of the best third-place finishers.

Iraq's journey in the tournament started tough. A 4-1 loss to Norway in the opener, followed by a 3-0 defeat to France last Monday night. These results placed the Lions of Mesopotamia at the bottom of Group 9 without any points, making the Senegal match like an "early final."

Immediately after the France whistle, the Iraqi delegation returned to their camp in West Virginia and began working. On Tuesday morning, the players underwent a light recovery session aimed at relieving fatigue and activating muscles after the travel and match ordeal.

The players who did not participate against the Roosters underwent a full training session to raise their physical readiness. Graham Arnold intends to rely on most of them against Senegal, giving them the opportunity to write their names in the World Cup record and give the bench a moral boost.

This evening, the team moves towards Toronto, Canada, where the preparations will gradually intensify. The goal is clear: to reach peak technical and physical readiness before 90 potentially historic minutes.

On the medical front, captain Ayman Hussein is undergoing intensive tests to ensure his fitness. The player reassured the fans and confirmed his readiness, noting that his exit against France was a precautionary decision by the coach, nothing more.

The biggest blow was the confirmed absence of striker Mohannad Ali "Mimi" from the match due to a groin muscle injury. His absence reduces Arnold's offensive options to just three names: Ayman Hussein, Ali Al-Hamadi, and Ali Youssef. An offensive dilemma before facing one of Africa's strongest defenses.

Iraq is participating in the World Cup for only the second time. The first was in Mexico 1986, and they exited the group stage after losses to Mexico, Belgium, and Paraguay. The only goal then was scored by the late Ahmed Radhi.

Now, Ayman Hussein is rewriting history. With his goal against Norway, he equaled the record of legend Ahmed Radhi as Iraq's top scorer in the World Cup. Ayman aspires to score a second goal against Senegal to become the sole historic top scorer for the Lions of Mesopotamia in the World Cup finals.