'Better than losing'

Iraq earns point against Kuwait despite early red card in World Cup qualifier

2024-09-11 | 12:47

KUWAIT CITY — Iraq’s national football team played to a 0-0 draw against Kuwait on Tuesday in the third round of 2026 World Cup qualifiers, despite playing nearly the entire match with 10 men following Rebin Sulaka’s red card in the early minutes.

The match, held at Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait, was overshadowed by Sulaka’s ejection, which occurred after a video review by VAR. Despite being a player down, Iraq held off the Kuwaitis to secure a point.

Adnan Darjal, president of the Iraq Football Federation, attributed the draw to harsh weather conditions. “Our national team players performed well, but the heat and humidity took a toll on their performance,” Darjal told the Iraqi News Agency.

Iraq head coach Jesús Casas criticized the referee’s decision, calling the red card overly harsh. “We deserved a better result. The decision constrained our game from the start,” Casas said at the post-match press conference. “Even with 10 men, we had chances to score and could have won.”

Casas acknowledged Kuwait’s solid performance but added, “They did not pose a significant threat to our goal. With a full squad, we likely would have won the game.”

The draw comes after Iraq’s 1-0 victory over Oman on September 5, where Ayman Hussein scored the winning goal. Hussein did not play in Tuesday’s match as he is recovering from surgery following an injury sustained in the Oman game. He was discharged from a Kuwait hospital on Monday.

Iraq leads Group B with four points from two games as they continue their campaign for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.