Iraqi coaches have shared their expectations that Romania's national team coach, Olariu Cosmin, will resort to a different tactical approach in the return match against the Iraqi team, scheduled for the day after tomorrow at Basra International Stadium, as part of the Asian third playoff qualifying for the World Cup 2026. Cosmin seemed comfortable with the draw at the end of the first half, especially after Iraq's strong attacking push. In another development, coaches criticized statements by the President of the Iraqi Football Federation, Adnan Darjal, after the first leg, when he blamed coach Arnold for substituting the team's striker and goal scorer, Ali Hammadi, between halves. They explained that Darjal was not aware that the substitution was due to injury, noting that his comments came at an inopportune time, especially with the return match approaching and little time for criticism or distraction. "I expect both coaches to make tactical adjustments in the return match to secure the element of surprise," said coach Thayer Jassam. "The pressing style was the most suitable solution for the Iraqi national team, granting its players near-total control," he added. Coaches also confirmed that deploying striker Ayman Hussein was a successful move that strengthened Iraq's defense during the final third against the strong offensive pressure of the UAE's white team. "The positive performance under Arnold's leadership confirms that the team has not regressed, and the return match will be difficult with new approaches from Arnold and Cosmin," they stated. In turn, coach Jamal Ali said: "The Emirati players are unaccustomed to the high pressure that Iraq exerted in the first 60 minutes." They also pointed out that Cosmin was surprised by the pressing style employed by the Iraqi team from the first minute of the first leg, which ended 1-1 at Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. Heavy rain is expected in Basra over the next two days, according to weather forecasts, requiring both teams to be prepared for the anticipated weather conditions. Iraqi coaches confirmed to "Emirates Today" that the element of surprise will be present in the Basra encounter, noting that the Iraqi national team's Australian coach, Arnold, was surprised that Cosmin did not include players Caio Lucas, Caio Canedo, Khalifa Hammadi, and Kwame in the starting lineup of the UAE team for the first leg. They also mentioned that the substitutions made by the Romanian coach in the second half were successful and clearly exhausted the Iraqi defense. "The Emirati player is unaccustomed to playing under high pressure, so it was evident that he was surprised by Iraq's style of play, especially with the use of a 4-4-2 formation," said coach Nizar Ashraf. Meanwhile, coach Salam Hashim stated: "Cosmin did not properly assess the capabilities of the Iraqi team before the first match, which gave the Iraqi coach the advantage to continue with the same approach."
