2024-01-29T14:32:34+00:00
A-
A
A+
/ On Monday, the coach of the Iraqi national team, Jesus Casas, commented on the team’s loss to its Jordanian counterpart, on the expulsion carried out by the Iranian referee of the match, Ali Reza, against Ayman Hussein because of his celebration, stressing that this matter does not exist in football.
Casas said in his first statement after the match, “We were not at our best in the first half and they took advantage of the counterattacks. In the second half, we were better and were able to return to the match and control the game.”
“A player cannot be sent off for celebrating a goal. This does not exist in football. The same applies to the Jordanian players. The referee did nothing, and there were no administrative penalties. It is strange,” he added, indicating that “the expulsion is what changed the course of the match against Jordan.”
He explained that “the timing of the expulsion prevented us from making defensive substitutions, because we had used all the substitutions before the expulsion,” indicating that “Ali Al Hammadi was injured, so he was not with us.”
Casas continued: “You are asking about administrative problems and chaos in discipline? Where was this talk after the victory over Japan?” indicating that “we did not win today, there are some people who want to exploit this to harm Iraq.”
He pointed out that “the Japan match was one match in which we achieved something important for us,” adding: “I am saddened by what I saw from the journalists’ reaction. They should have shown support even at the time of the loss, but some were hoping for the loss.”
Casas concluded by saying, “Regarding my future with Iraq, I am completely calm. I have a contract with the Federation and our goal is the 2026 World Cup.”