Kuwait vs Iraq Predictions
Kuwait and Iraq come into their second Gulf Cup Group A fixture looking for their first win in the competition.
Both nations are likely to adopt a cautious approach, so a low-scoring outcome seems likely.
Under 2.5 Goals is my best bet, while I also have a stake on a draw in Saturday's contest.
Low-Score Draw Likely
- Kuwait have seen under 2.5 goals in 4 of their last 5 matches (competitive fixtures)
- Kuwait drew 3 of their last 7 matches
- Iraq drew 4 of their last 5 matches against Kuwait
- Iraq scored an average of 0.6 goals per game in their last 10 matches
- Iraq scored 1 goal or less in 9 of their last 10 matches
Iraq Hold Recent H2H Advantage
Kuwait and Iraq have met on ten occasions since 2009. Iraq won two games while Kuwait claimed one victory. Seven games finished as draws, including a 2-2 World Cup qualifier in March 2025.
Kuwait Seek Response After Saudi Defeat
Kuwait return to action after a narrow 1-0 defeat against Saudi Arabia in their Gulf Cup opener on Wednesday.
Yussuf Al Haqan’s 73rd-minute own goal proved decisive as the Blue Wave suffered a hard-fought defeat against the host nation.
Saudi Arabia controlled the contest with 67% possession. They also outshot Kuwait 19-5 and finished with a higher xG total of 1.55 compared with 0.35.
Helio Sousa’s side have now failed to win any of their last five matches, with only two wins picked up in 17 games since December 20204.
Kuwait boast an outstanding record in this competition despite a lack of recent success. The Blue Wave won the Gulf Cup on ten occasions, while they reached the semi-finals in their last appearance in 2024.
Iraq Held by Oman
Iraq face their second Group A fixture after opening their Gulf Cup campaign with a 1-1 draw against Oman on Wednesday.
Mohammed Qasim put the Lions of Mesopotamia ahead after just six minutes, but Nasser Al-Rawahi rescued a point for Oman with a 67th-minute equaliser.
Iraq were unable to find a winner, despite having much the better of the contest. Graham Arnold’s men outshot their opponents 13-2 but were left frustrated at Prince Faisal Stadium.
Before their draw on Wednesday, the Iraqis had lost four successive fixtures, while winning only two of ten previous matches over the past year.
Low-scoring outcomes have been frequent in Iraq’s recent matches against Asian opposition, with under 2.5 goals landing in eight of their last ten fixtures against their continental rivals.
Kuwait vs Iraq Squads & Team News
Kuwait Squad
Goalkeepers: Khaled Al-Rashidi, Saud Al-Hoshan, Abdulrahman Al-Fadhli
Defenders: Fahad Al-Hajeri, Hassan Al-Enezi, Rashed Al-Dousari, Muath Al-Dhefiri, Khaled Al-Fadhli, Abdulwahab Al-Awadi, Mohammad Al-Sharifi, Yousef Al-Haqan
Midfielders: Redha Hani, Fawaz Ayedh, Athbi Shehab, Muath Al-Enezi, Nasser Faleh, Khaled Al-Mershed, Jasem Al-Mutar, Abdullah Al-Garzaie
Forwards: Yousef Nasser, Eid Al-Rashidi, Shabaib Al-Khaldi, Mohammad Daham, Yousef Majed
Kuwait are expected to retain most of the side that started the defeat against Saudi Arabia.
Yousef Majed and Ahmad Al Dhefiri could come into contention for recalls after making second-half appearances in Kuwait’s draw against Iraq.
The Blue Wave have no reported injury issues.
Iraq Squad
Goalkeepers: Ahmed Basil, Hussein Hassan, Mohammed Salih
Defenders: Zaid Tahseen, Akam Hashim, Merchas Doski, Mustafa Saadoon, Ahmed Yahya, Maitham Jabbar, Josef Al-Imam, Mohammed Dlawar
Midfielders: Ibrahim Bayesh, Ahmed Qasem, Zidane Iqbal, Amir Al-Ammari, Ali Jasim, Zaid Ismail, Jussef Nasrawe, Karrar Nabeel, Abdulrazzaq Qasim, Hayder Abdulkareem, Mohammed Qasim, Hasan Abdulkareem, Saif Rasheed
Forwards: Ali Al-Hamadi, Aymen Hussein
Graham Arnold is expected to keep most of the side that started the 1-1 draw with Oman.
Maitham Jabbar could come into the first XI after a 45-minute substitute appearance on Wednesday.
Hussein Ali has been forced to withdraw from the squad following hernia surgery.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, Iraq boss Graham Arnold admitted that his side had struggled to reach their best against Oman.
“We were not the better team, and we must work harder in the coming matches in order to secure the win.”
Arnold pointed to Iraq’s rushed preparations as a key factor. The Lions of Mesopotamia managed only one training session before the tournament, compared with more than six for Oman.
“We fielded a number of young players, and we had a number of chances in the last quarter of an hour that we were unable to convert into goals. I am proud of the players, and we will offer our best in the coming fixtures.”