Australian coach Graham Arnold led Iraq to World Cup qualification Wednesday, defeating Bolivia 2-1 in Mexico to secure the 48th and final spot after a 40-year absence.
Aymen Hussein scored the decisive goal in the second half, with Ali Al Hamadi opening the scoring in the 10th minute at Monterrey Stadium.
Arnold, who guided Australia to the 2022 World Cup round of 16, became the second Australian coach to qualify two different nations. Iraq faces France, Norway and Senegal in Group I.
Arnold banned social media access upon arrival due to Middle East conflicts, focusing players on the tournament. "Iraq has nothing to lose," Arnold said, emphasizing their winning mentality against stars like Mbappé and Haaland.