U-17 World Cup: Iraq take setbacks in their stride ahead of Mali clash

Margao: The clash of continental champions in the second round knockout match here on Tuesday has a queer twist to it.

Iraq, who had a feel of the conditions while winning the AFC U-16 championship last year take on their African counterparts

Mali

at the

Nehru Stadium

at Fatorda.

Any perceived advantage that the Arab side hopes to derive from knowing the conditions first-hand is offset by two factors – first, the suspension of ace striker Mohammad Dawood, sitting out a double booking. And two, the long haul from Kolkata that the Iraqi camp admits has had the players exhausted.

Coach Qahtan

Al-Rubaye

, former Iraq international, though, believes he has the personnel to deliver the goods. “We play as a group and Dawood is a part of it. In his absence we have players to replace him,” he said.

On his part, captain Mohammad Ridha respects the schedule and regulations even while admitting that the team is exhausted but expressed faith in the coaching staff’s training schedule.

There could be a third factor. The 0-4 hammering Iraq suffered at the hands of strong contenders England in their concluding league game, the hangover of which will take some shaking off.

The fatigue factor, though, poses to be the most worrisome from an Iraqi point of view. More so as Al-Rubaye acknowledged that Mali’s superior build gives the African side a decisive advantage.

Mali’s only glitch in preparation for the clash has been the floodlight failure at Utorda that sent the team scurrying to Benaulim on Monday. An inconvenience that coach Jonas

Komla

shrugged off as an incident not uncommon in Africa.

And discounting any advantage from Dawood’s absence, Komla believes that Iraq will be strong all the same and there won’t be any change in strategy. “Like us, Iraq deserve to be in the round of 16 and I expect a great match, one that we hope to win,” the Mali coach said.

Mali finished runners-up in Chile 2015, won the Africa Cup of Nations but Komla believed that living up to those standards will add only “positive pressure” on his team.

The statistics, however, would put some pressure on Iraq. Mali have been the most attacking team in the competition at the completion of the league phase, having had 85 attempts on goal, 29 on target, while scoring eight goals. The Africans have hit the post five times.

Iraq have 35 attempts, nine on target and scored four goals while hitting the post once.

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