Sports analyst Spite Khater stated that the national team has high chances of overcoming its Iraqi counterpart in the Asian qualifying playoff for the 2026 World Cup. He pointed out that the criticism received by some players, such as Khalid Eisa and Kwame Quaidor, and calls to exclude them from the match against 'Lions of the Euphrates', do not guarantee the absence of errors in the two ties.
The national team will face its Iraqi opponent in the first leg match next Thursday at 8 PM at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, while the second leg will be held on November 18 at the Basra International Stadium.
The former player of Al Ain, Al Jazira, and the national team said in an interview with 'Al-Ittihad': 'The mistakes Khalid Eisa made in the team's match against Qatar are part of football. He added: 'I spoke about the mistake Eisa made, but this is football. He played a strong match and was one of the reasons for the win over Oman, while luck was not on his side against Qatar. Therefore, it is difficult to determine which goalkeeper will play the main role against Iraq, as all possibilities are open, especially since the technical staff may choose Khalid Eisa for the experience he possesses. The same applies if they decide to include Ali Khasif or Hamd Al-Maqbali; they might also be unlucky. In the end, it depends on the player's readiness and concentration during the match. Most importantly, our trust in all goalkeepers is great'.
Regarding his opinion on what is best for the technical staff in choosing defenders, whether to play the three defenders from Al-Wahda—Pimienta, Alaa Zuhair, and Ruben—he said: 'The players of Al-Wahda are offering excellent levels, but this is not a guarantee that one of them will not make a mistake during the match. I see that some simple details control each player's level, and the decision is ultimately for the coach through his follow-up of the players' performance during the training sessions preceding the match'.
As for Sultan Adel leading the attacking line, he said: 'Sultan Adel is the only player in the squad who possesses the specifications of a out-and-out striker, and he possesses great capabilities. I have followed him with Al Ahli's youth team, but the team's performance did not help him, as he needs a playmaker and wingers who provide him with assistance in creating chances in front of the goal, especially since he has great potential'.
Regarding the absence of Fabio Lima, he said: 'In all circumstances, he has great importance, whether present or absent, even when he plays in the second half. The most important thing now is that the substitute player is capable of compensating for his absence and proving himself on the field'.
About the match against Iraq, Spite Khater said: 'The match is difficult, and the Iraqi team has great capabilities and needs good preparation. I see that the national team is ready and has the ability to achieve victory'.
He added: 'There is an improvement in the team's performance from what we have seen from the players in the recent period. Undoubtedly, I had wished that the first match would be in Iraq and we would play the second leg on our home ground, but we have to deal with the existing reality and be ready to play the two matches with full concentration and prepare for all possibilities'.
He pointed out that 'the elements that coach Olariu Cosmin chose are good, and it was difficult to make a big change in the national team's squad. It is natural that the changes would be within narrow limits by including a small number of new names'.
Spite Khater concluded his statements: 'The match we lost against Qatar was not because we are the lesser team, but due to some mistakes that occurred. These decisive matches do not tolerate impactful errors, so we wasted a chance to qualify directly for the World Cup'.
Sultan Adel is the only player in the squad who possesses the specifications of an out-and-out striker... and enjoys great capabilities... I had wished to play the first leg in Iraq and the second leg on our home ground, but we have to deal with the existing reality.
