The head coach of the national team, Romanian Olaru Cosmin, praised the strong performance of goalkeeper Khalid Eissa during the match against Iraq, which ended in a 1-1 draw at the Mohammed bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi the day before in the first leg of the Asian playoff for the 2026 World Cup. Cosmin told 'Emirates Today': 'It was a very difficult match, one of the toughest encounters the team has had in the qualifying campaign. The first half of the match in Abu Dhabi ended in a draw, and the second half remains in Basra, where we will fight to win and qualify.' He added: 'Khalid Eissa wanted to prove himself after the mistake he made in the match against Qatar, and he delivered a heroic performance that shows his strong character and determination to defend the team's goal. This is the Khalid we know, a goalkeeper with leadership qualities and a high fighting spirit.' Khalid Eisa was named the best player of the match against Iraq after he saved the 'Al-Abda' goal from certain goals in both halves, including a one-on-one with Iraqi player Ali Al-Hamadi in the first half and his brilliant save from a header that could have resulted in a goal at a critical moment for the team. Cosmin confirmed that the team's performance was inconsistent among the players, saying: 'Some players showed an excellent level, while others did not perform as required, but that is normal in such difficult matches, and now we need to play with a brave heart against a strong team that will have great support from fans in Iraq.' Commenting on the referee's performance, he said: 'I am still reviewing the disallowed goal and the uncalled penalty. I know the referee well, and he often tries to show his strength by not calling situations that are 50% in favor of the home team.' Regarding the team's chances in the return match and whether it is possible to advance, Cosmin said: 'We will try with all we have, and we will fight until the last moment, don't worry.' The national team is preparing for the return match on November 18 in the city of Basra in a decisive match to determine which team will advance to the next stage of the World Cup 2026 qualifying cycle. We need to play with a brave heart in Basra against a strong team that will have great fan support. We will try with all we have and fight until the last moment. Don't worry.
