Iraq coach: "Vietnam team is a tough opponent"

Red card, 2 penalties made Vietnam team lose to Iraq

Speaking at a press conference after the match, coach Jesus Casas said: "The match against Vietnam was really difficult, especially in the first half when they defended very well. We controlled the ball more but did not create many opportunities.

Many players today were playing for the first time so they were a bit nervous going into the game. We made a lot of changes when we achieved our goals in the first two games, that's normal.

We changed a lot in the second half after falling behind and got the results. Depending on the situation and the opponent, I made different adjustments in tactics and personnel. The Vietnamese team was not easy to play against and made us work hard to get the victory."

HLV Iraq: Đội tuyển Việt Nam là đối thủ khó chơi - 1 — Coach Jesus Casas highly appreciates the Vietnamese team (Photo: AP).

Regarding the opponents that Iraq may face in the round of 16 of the 2023 Asian Cup, coach Jesus Casas was cautious: "No matter who the opponent is in the next round, it will definitely be a difficult match for us and it will not be easy to win.

We can't think about the group stage victories. In the knockout stages, one mistake would be enough to send us home.

What happened shows that every game is difficult. We have to concentrate against every opponent, defend well, press better and try to score more goals. However, it is not always easy."

Regarding the situation of Aymen Hussein missing the penalty, Coach Casas said: "I need to review the match, analyze the players' performance and evaluate. I want players who are confident and responsible to take the penalty kick.

I didn't care that Aymen Hussein missed the first penalty, he wanted to take the second one so I gave him the chance."

HLV Iraq: Đội tuyển Việt Nam là đối thủ khó chơi - 2 — Iraq impressed by winning all three matches in Group D of the 2023 Asian Cup (Photo: AP).

The Vietnamese team faced Iraq in the final round of Group D of the 2023 Asian Cup at Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium (Doha, Qatar) with great determination. An Iraqi defender scored an own goal early in the match, but VAR technology disallowed the goal because Khuat Van Khang was offside.

The Vietnamese team's efforts were realized in the 42nd minute with a delicate finish by Bui Hoang Viet Anh. However, coach Troussier's team fell into a difficult situation when Khuat Van Khang received a second yellow card and had to leave the field.

At the beginning of the second half, Sulaka headed home an equalizer for Iraq, before Hussein increased the score to 2-1 in the 73rd minute. The West Asian representative continued to press the field and they had a chance to score a third goal, but Hussein himself missed a penalty in the 83rd minute.

Despite playing with one less player, the Vietnamese team still played tight defense and counterattacked effectively. We unexpectedly equalized 2-2 after Quang Hai's cross shot in the 90th minute. However, in the 90+12th minute, the Vietnamese team conceded a penalty and Hussein completed his double, sealing a 3-2 victory for Iraq.

At the end of Group D of the 2023 Asian Cup, the Vietnamese team lost all 3 matches and ranked last. In the match at the same time, Japan defeated Indonesia 3-1. Iraq and Japan officially won tickets to the round of 16 while Indonesia (3 points) was at risk of being eliminated.