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Iraq and Yemen meet at the Sulaibikhat Stadium in Kuwait on Sunday for their clash in Group B of the 26th Arabian Gulf Cup. The sides have been drawn alongside Saudi Arabia and Bahrain in a challenging draw.
Ranked 56th in the world, the Lions of Mesopotamia are the defending champions of the cup, having won it in 2023 for a fourth time in their history.
They beat Oman 3-2 in a thrilling final in Basra to end a 25-year wait to bring the cup home. Now, Iraq are looking to join Saudi Arabia and Yemen in the league of sides that successfully defended their crown.
Interestingly, Jesús Casas' side are coming off the back of a slender 1-0 win over the Reds in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Youssef Amyn struck the only goal of the game in the 36th minute as Iraq remained in contention to qualify directly for the showpiece.
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They will look to channel this momentum in the cup, as they begin their campaign against the struggling Yemen. In eight official games this year, they've won just once: a 2-0 win over minnows Sri Lanka in a friendly last month.
Iraq vs Yemen Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- There have been 12 clashes between the sides in the past, with Iraq going unbeaten in all of them, winning 10.
- The only times when Yemen managed to avoid a loss in this fixture were: July 2011 (a 0-0 draw in a FIFA World Cup qualifier) and December 2019 (a 0-0 draw in a Gulf Cup clash).
- Yemen have failed to score in their last two games against Iraq and in three of their last four.
- In 15 official games this year, the Lions of Mesopotamia have lost only thrice, including two against South Korea.
- Iraq are ranked 56th in the world; Yemen are 102 places adrift of them.
Iraq vs Yemen Prediction
The Lions of Mesopotamia have enjoyed a terrific year, having produced a series of big results, and come into the fixture as overwhelming favorites against struggling Yemen. They've never lost to them and will look to exert their dominance on them once again.
Prediction: Iraq 2-0 Yemen
Iraq vs Yemen Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Iraq to win
Tip 2 - Goals over/under 2.5: Under 2.5 goals
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: Yes
