Graham Arnold: We were the best against Kuwait and deserved the win

Iraq's coach Graham Arnold confirmed that his team was the better side in the dramatic 3-2 victory over Kuwait in the second round of the Semi-Final, pointing out that the Lions of Mesopotamia managed to create many chances during the match.

Arnold stated in the press conference held after the match at Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Stadium that every match the national team plays teaches them a new lesson, and each encounter provides the coaching staff with something to learn from. He clarified that the national team is still at the beginning of its journey and has much ahead during the upcoming phase.

The Australian coach added that the most important thing for him was that the players were fully focused from the start of the match to the end, maintaining their concentration throughout the minutes of the encounter despite the significant pressure and the repeated comeback of the Kuwait national team in the score.

Arnold explained: "We played a match where we were the better side and created a large number of chances, and this is very important for me as a coach, because creating chances means we are on the right track, and what we need is more focus in front of goal."

He pointed out that the tactical change from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 provided the team with greater balance in midfield and contributed to giving young faces like Josef Al-Imam and Haydeer Abdulkareem the opportunity to prove themselves, affirming that he has great confidence in this group.

Arnold concluded his remarks by emphasizing that the most important thing for the coaching staff and players is to make the Iraqi fans happy, which is what the team strives for in every match. He added that the victory over Kuwait represents a significant morale boost ahead of the upcoming clash against the home team, Saudi Arabia, in the final group stage round, which will be crucial in determining who qualifies for the Semi-Final.