"Proud of my fighters": El Sektioui reveals his philosophy after the Oman-Iraq draw

Morocco's Tarik Sektioui, the coach of Oman's national team, could not hide his satisfaction with his side's start to the Gulf Cup "Gulf 27" after a thrilling 1-1 draw against Iraq on Wednesday at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah.

Omani fans had been hoping for a winning start. Sektioui, though, took a more realistic view, stressing that a point from a difficult encounter against a team the size of Iraq is a gain in itself.

The Moroccan coach praised his players at the post-match press conference, saying: "They showed a beautiful spirit and great fighting qualities, and the relationship inside the dressing room is more than wonderful. Despite the difficulty of the match, they fought until the last moment, and I am proud to coach this group."

He then lifted the lid on what went on between the two halves, explaining: "We watched quick video clips and I spoke with the players, and I am very happy with the way they applied the instructions on the pitch."

Sektioui admitted his task is still in its early stages, saying: "I have overseen the national team in just three camps, which is a very short period to get to know all the players fully."

Plenty of work lies ahead, he added: "We are still in the beginnings and we have a great deal of work ahead of us, especially on the physical side."

His message to the squad was blunt. The door of the national team, he stressed, is open to everyone without exception, and priority will go to whoever proves his worth on the pitch.

Oman's coach signed off by spelling out the footballing philosophy he will bring to the tournament, saying: "We always play to win, this is our culture and our identity, and if we cannot achieve victory, then we work on the most important thing, which is avoiding defeat."