Three reasons behind Iraq's exit in the Gulf Cup 27

Iraq found themselves out of the Gulf Cup 27 in Saudi Arabia after losing 2-0 to their Saudi counterparts on Tuesday evening, in the third round of the group stage.

Iraq did not perform at the expected level in the match, which the Iraqi fans were hoping for, especially after the great performance the team showed in the match against Kuwait in the Semi-Final, which ended with a victory of three goals to two.

Iraq has been eliminated from the Gulf Cup after tying with Oman on points, goals, and even yellow cards. The Gulf Federation decided to determine the qualifier through a draw between the two teams, resulting in Oman qualifying.

Iraq's coach Graham Arnold expressed his frustration with his team's performance in the match, stating that the team did not perform well and that the Saudi Arabia national team capitalized on their chances perfectly, coming close to doubling the score at certain points in the game.

There are three main reasons behind Iraq's national team appearing in this way against Saudi Arabia, most of which had been a problem for the Lions of Mesopotamia even before the Gulf Cup competitions, which they exited from the group stage for the second consecutive time.

Iraq's players appeared disorganized in their match against Saudi Arabia, especially concerning the midfielders and forwards, as the Iraqi team did not show attacking effectiveness, and their attacks broke down when approaching the Saudi area.

Despite Saif Rasheed's impressive performance in the match against Kuwait, he was not at his best against Saudi Arabia, as his passing and movements were not at the same level he displayed in the previous match.

Aymen Hussein struggled to make an impact despite his experience, as the team's playing system did not help him threaten the Saudi goal.

Despite the consistent performances of Iraq goalkeeper Ahmad Basel in most of his recent matches with the Lions of Mesopotamia, he was not at his best against Saudi Arabia, lacking focus at crucial moments of the match.

Basil is held responsible for the first goal due to his incorrect exit and lack of understanding with his teammates in defense, while he was unable to deal well with the ball for the second goal.

Basil's mistakes have cost Iraq dearly in the match, making him a target for criticism from fans and pundits, after everyone praised his performance following the match against Kuwait.

Most of the Iraq players have not been in the required physical condition since arriving in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as some of them were already suffering from injuries, while others complained of various pains.

The problem began with player Ali Al Hammadi, and then injuries followed to Akam Hashem and Mustafa Saadoon, as well as Mohammed Qassem, and even Aymen Hussein, who felt some discomfort.

Things escalated as the third round approached, with Saudi Arabia's Mustafa Saadoon being forced off during the match, replaced by Ibrahim Baish, who also had a disappointing performance.

Iraq's tally remains at four points after losing to Saudi Arabia, the same total as Oman, who defeated Kuwait 3-1 in a match played at the same time. The two teams then matched in the tiebreaker criteria, leading to a draw that granted Oman a place in the Semi-Final.