Iraq boss Graham Arnold admits his side fell short against Oman on Wednesday.
The two teams played out a 1-1 draw at the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Sports City Stadium in Jeddah, in the opening round of the "Gulf 27" tournament.
Speaking at the post-match press conference, the Australian said: "We were not the better team, and we must work harder in the coming matches in order to secure the win."
He pointed to a rushed build-up as a key factor. Iraq managed just one training session before the tournament, while Oman ran through more than six.
"We fielded a number of young players, and we had a number of chances in the last quarter of an hour that we were unable to convert into goals," Arnold added. "I am proud of the players, and we will offer our best in the coming fixtures."
The coach also took aim at the pitch: "In major tournaments such as the Gulf Cup, the grass cannot be this long. This is a significant factor and causes injuries to players, and it should be taken into account in the future."