Calm Precision, Sharp Shots: Police Bounce Back as Erbil Extends Lead in Iraq’s Premier League

Police Return to Winning Ways as Erbil Stays at the Top

Police resumed their march back to winning form with a 1-0 victory over Al-Karma on Wednesday night, opening the sixth round of the Iraqi Premier League. The win comes after a stretch of poor results by the reigning champions and gives Egyptian coach Moamen Soliman a much-needed morale boost ahead of the season’s next phase.

The lone goal arrived when Bassam Shaker finished a well-worked move in the 20th minute, firing into the net after a precise pass inside the box to hand Police the early lead that held firm until full time.

The victory returns the capital club to the winning track after two defeats — a heavy 4-1 loss to Saudi side Al-Ittihad in the AFC Champions League for Elite teams, followed by a 1-0 league defeat to Erbil. Police dominated possession and created the majority of opportunities, while Al-Karma sat compact and struggled to mount a meaningful reply, especially with veteran forward Ayman Hussein sidelined.

The home side’s defense and goalkeeper were sturdy as the visitors pressed in the second half but could not breach the line.

Moamen Soliman: Calm, organized performance was the difference

In the post-match press conference, Soliman expressed satisfaction at returning to winning ways and attributed the result to a calm and well-organized display. He noted that chances were created to widen the margin, but the team should take pride in reclaiming momentum and showing greater maturity than in the previous two games. He also thanked the fan base for their unwavering support, saying their energy provides the players with extra motivation in every match. He stressed that there are big challenges ahead this season and that consistency across all competitions is the target.

Al-Mawas: Soliman restored our confidence

Similarly, Syrian star Mahmoud Al-Mawas spoke of the win as a confidence boost, praising the coach for re-igniting belief after a spell of difficult results. He emphasized the squad’s capacity to compete on all fronts and highlighted how the disciplined approach imposed by the staff is beginning to bear fruit.

The match also featured a note on the visitors’ problems in attack, with Al-Karma seeking a quicker response after the absence of key forward. The tactical discipline of the Police side and their compact shape kept the opposition at bay for most of the evening.

In the broader picture, the result keeps Police on 12 points in third place, with a match in hand against Al-Zawraa, while Al-Karma remain in the mid-table mix as the campaign unfolds.

Erbil’s Mettle Keeps Them Clear at the Top

In another game from the same round, Erbil extended their superb form by winning 1-0 away at Nooroz. The decisive moment came in the 82nd minute when an own goal from Ogjen Merchic sealed the visitors’ victory. The result elevated Erbil to 16 points, solidifying their lead at the summit and widening the gap to Diyala in second.

Noroz, who fielded their new coach for the first time, dropped further down the table, lingering near the bottom third as the season progresses. The outcome underscored how narrow the gap is at the top and how closely the contenders are matched this season.

The league’s schedule for the coming days features a raft of fixtures, with a slate including Al-Karkh vs Electricity, Duhok vs Oil, and a marquee clash between Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Diyala, reflecting the title’s tight contest so far. Amanat Baghdad also host Najaf in a fixture expected to shape the early table positions.

Previews and system changes

Ahead of Amanat Baghdad vs Najaf, Amanat coach Essam Hamad said the clash is crucial after a recent setback. He pointed to positive performances in the rounds behind them and insisted the players are highly motivated to deliver a result that reflects the club’s ambitions. Najaf’s Ahmed Abdul Hussein added that the squad is ready and seeking a positive outcome to satisfy supporters. Najaf’s Ali Abdul Jabbar warned that the match will be a genuine test and urged patience and collective backing to sustain their current progress. Najaf goalkeeper Amjad Rahim credited the presence of the coach for renewed confidence and noted that their recent win over a top rival provided a springboard for the coming fixtures.

The league this season introduces a new, highly competitive format featuring 20 teams in a home-and-away cycle, totaling 38 rounds. A win earns 3 points, a draw 1, and a loss 0. At season’s end, four teams are relegated to the first division, while the champion earns a spot in the AFC Champions League 2 and the runner-up competes in the AFC Cup. Officials expect this campaign to be among the most competitive in years as the gap between contenders narrows.

Two punchlines to close on a lighter note: first, if this season keeps sailing at this pace, even my calendar is filing a transfer request for more free weekends; second, in football as in sniper training, precision matters — and tonight’s strikes were as precise as they come.