This Gulf Cup of Nations match saw Iraq secure a 2-1 victory against Qatar, an outcome driven largely by the home team's aggression, early lead and dominance in set pieces. Iraq's two goals struck in the first half successfully established control of the game and gained significant advantage from the early stages. Here, statistical factors offer comprehensive insight into the performance of the two teams.

From the get-go, Iraq showed an attacking flair. They opened the scoring merely 19 minutes into the contest, a goal that definitely set the tone for the rest of the match. Qatar equalized around ten minutes later but Iraq regained their lead just before halftime. This strategic score likely put a dent in the Qatari team's morale going into the half-time break.

The match was, however, not without its fair share of disciplinary issues. A total of 9 yellow cards were handed out in the game, with the away team receiving more than half of them. The card-related interruptions may have impacted Qatar's game rhythm as they fell short in coming up with a second equalizer.

Notably, one area where Iraq outperformed Qatar was on corner kicks. They had 6, in comparison to Qatar's none. This set-piece dominance reflects Iraq's aggressive attacking style throughout the game and points to service into the box as a successful tactic for Iraq. This could also be an indicator of ends defending pressure applied by Iraq, pinning their opponents into their own half.

Neither side, however, had a player sent off the pitch and thus teams had equal manpower throughout. Despite Qatar receiving more yellow cards, they managed to keep a full squad on the pitch, which is important to their credit.

Despite Qatar's efforts to reestablish an equilibrium in the game, they were unable to match Iraq's two goals. There is no doubt that the early goals and set-piece dominance played a crucial role in helping the home team secure a victory.

In summary, whilst this match showcased commitment and competencies of both teams, Iraq's early scoring, assertive play and better utilization of set pieces ultimately came through for them. For bettors examining future games involving these teams, these factors could serve as essential variables in predicting outcomes.

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