Aymen Hussein: I felt a great embarrassment and the truth about the city stadium shocked the Uzbeks

Following the continental clash hosted at the Al-Madina International Stadium in Baghdad, which ended in a valuable victory for Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya over their guests Pakhtakor with a score of one goal to nil in the third round of the AFC Champions League Elite.

International striker Aymen Hussein has made shocking and emotional statements regarding the impressions of the Uzbek team players and his embarrassment over the poor pitch conditions, as well as discussing his exceptional relationship with the Falcons' fans.

The match report indicated that the game saw a moderate attendance and ended in favor of Iraq's representative thanks to a last-minute goal scored by veteran captain Saad Abdulameer in the 69th minute, capitalizing on a precise header pass from his teammate Ashraf Bou Darra. He calmly slotted it into the Uzbek net, giving the Falcons their first three continental points.

This match marked Aymen Hussein's first appearance on Iraqi soil in a rival's shirt after his move to Pakhtakor last summer, following his participation with the national team in the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Aymen Hussein made statements to the press after the match, expressing feelings of regret as he said: "Honestly, I felt very embarrassed due to the condition of the pitch at the International City Stadium. During our last training session before the match, the players of Pakhtakor voiced extensive criticism and great dissatisfaction with the poor surface, especially since the stadium looks modern and new from the outside."

The star of the Lions added: "My teammates at Pakhtakor wondered in disbelief: Does the Iraqi national team play its official matches on this surface? How did it get this bad? I explained to them that the poor quality of the pitch is due to the stadium hosting 4 matches weekly in the Iraqi Premier League, and if the pressure eased, it would return to a much better condition."

Hussein explained: "The training pitches allocated to us in Uzbekistan are much better than the surface of the current city stadium. I explained to the players that the Iraqi national team plays its official matches on the turf of Basra International Stadium, where the surface is excellent and ideal, and completely different from Baghdad. I wish our Asian match could have been held there."

Aymen Hussein touched on the emotions that overwhelmed him upon hearing the chants of Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya fans calling his name, saying: "I hold all the love, respect, and appreciation for the fans of the great Falcons; I have spent beautiful, unforgettable days with them. But today, I am a professional player wearing the jersey of Pakhtakor, and I delivered one of my best performances, both technically and physically, with the team in today's match."

The numbers show that Aymen Hussein has played 10 matches for Pakhtakor in various competitions, during which he has succeeded in scoring one goal and providing one assist. He has participated in 3 matches in the AFC Champions League Elite without managing to find the back of the net so far.

Aymen Hussein's realistic statements raise serious questions about the readiness of local stadiums while simultaneously demonstrating the player's professionalism and ongoing bond with Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya fans.