Iraq is improving, insists former skipper Dirjal

Former international defender Adnan Dirjal, who represented Iraq at three consecutive Olympic Games in the 1980s, has said that the Iraqi under 23 side contesting continental glory in Qatar is getting better with each game.The 56-year-old, who has been coaching various clubs in Qatar since joining Al Wakrah after leaving Baghdad side Al Quwa Al Jawiya in 1994, was particularly impressed with Iraq’s performance in their 3-2 victory over Uzbekistan as the defending champions finished runners-up in Group C behind Korea Republic on goal difference to set up a quarter-final clash with the UAE on Saturday.“Iraq have many players who are playing at this level for the first time and don’t have a lot of experience but I believe they are getting better and better. Congratulations to all our players for the effort they’ve put in so far,” Dirjal said.“Our game against Yemen wasn’t so difficult but we found a really strong opponent in Uzbekistan. It was a really tough match, especially after conceding a goal after 11 seconds. It really put us under pressure, but we fought our way back into the game.”Iraq kicked-off the defence of the title they won in Oman in 2014, when the inaugural tournament was played at under 22 level, before assuring themselves of a place in the last eight with the hard-fought win over an impressive Uzbek outfit.A 1-1 draw with Korea Republic followed as Iraq missed the opportunity to top the table but despite the disappointment of missing out on their third straight win in Doha, Dirjal has seen enough to be convinced that the Iraqis are on the right track to qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time since finishing fourth in Athens in 2004, as well as successfully defending their continental title.“I think our team has a lot more to offer in the coming matches,” continued Dirjal, who was part of the Iraq teams at the Olympics in Moscow (1980), Los Angeles (1984) and Seoul (1988).While Dirjal has been generally impressed with Iraq’s showing in Qatar thus far, the former national team captain did express concerns over the defence, stating: “Everybody has been appreciating our team’s quality. Although we have had some problems in defence that we need to fix, coach Shahad Abdulghani has been preparing the team very well.”Iraq are next in action on Saturday in a mouthwatering quarter-final clash with the United Arab Emirates, who were made to fight hard for the 3-2 victory over Vietnam that ultimately saw the West Asians top Group D.The top three sides at the 2016 AFC U23 Championship will represent Asia at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.