Hanoi coach Jesus Casas admitted that Iraq faced many difficulties when they beat Vietnam 1-0 with a goal in the last minute of the second qualifying round of the 2026 World Cup.
"This match was very difficult and unpredictable because both teams played with dedication. Iraq had some chances but could not take advantage of them, so they had to wait until the end of the match to score," Mr. Casas said at the post-match press conference.
Coach Casas at the press conference after the Vietnam - Iraq match at My Dinh Stadium on the evening of November 21. Photo: Lam Thoa
At My Dinh Stadium, Iraq quickly demonstrated their superiority with an attacking style and high pressure. Many opportunities were created by the West Asian team, but either because the home goalkeeper Dang Van Lam played brilliantly or because their strikers did not finish accurately, Iraq seemed to have to leave with only one point.
However, in the sixth minute of injury time in the second half, the away team scored when Bayesh crossed from the right for Mohanad Ali to head past Van Lam. This late goal helped Iraq have a full 6 points after two matches, leading Group F of the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia.
Post-match statistics showed that Iraq had 56% possession and 16 shots, but only five on target and scored one goal. This hard-fought victory was in stark contrast to the way Mr Casas's team crushed another Southeast Asian representative, Indonesia, 5-1 in the opening match last year.
According to the Spanish coach, compared to Indonesia, Vietnam has a clearer style and is more difficult to play against. "Vietnam is a strong team, they are loyal to the ball-keeping style of play and do very well in wing situations," Mr. Casas added.
Main developments of the match Vietnam 0-1 Iraq.
The Iraqi coach also praised his colleague Troussier for putting many young players on the field in the second half. He said: "Vietnam has many quality young players, this is a good sign for you. When young players are allowed to play in big matches like today, they will accumulate a lot of valuable experience for the next path."
After two matches, Iraq is leading Group F of the second round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers in Asia, with six points. According to the regulations, the top two teams in each group will advance to the third round of qualifying. However, coach Casas was cautious when talking about the ultimate goal: "The qualifying journey has just begun and there are many difficulties ahead. We just try to calculate for each match."
Lam Thoa
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