Late Hero, Narrow Wins: Najaf Nabs First League Win as Iraqi Round Five Unfolds
26 October 2025
Matchday Highlights
Najaf secured their first Iraqi Premier League win of the season by defeating visiting Al-Student 1-0 on Sunday in round five.
Rida Fadel struck in stoppage time (90+5) to seal the victory after a defensive lapse by the guests.
With the win, Najaf rises to 15th on 3 points, logging their first win of the campaign.
Zakho claimed a 1-0 win over Mosul, with Yusuf Raed scoring in the 31st minute; Zakho now has 9 points and sits sixth, while Mosul remains on 6 points in 12th place.
Diyala and Al-Minaa shared the spoils in a goalless draw; Diyala extend their lead at the top with 13 points, while Al-Minaa move to 7 points in 10th.
In the same round, Naft beat Amanat Baghdad 3-0 as Walid Karim opened the scoring in the first half stoppage, doubled after the break, and Amadou Motari added the third in the 57th minute; Oil climb to 8 points in 8th, Amanat Baghdad stays on 6 points in 13th.
Upcoming fixtures and remarks
In the coming fixtures, Naft Missan host Al-Karkh, while Al-Qasim welcome Al-Zawraa.
Hassan Fawzi, the assistant coach for Emad Nahoush of Zawraa, said: "Everyone is unhappy with the recent result in the AFC Cup; Zawraa is big and will return to its usual level." He added: "We aim to restore the winning spirit and reinforce team cohesion. Everyone must shoulder responsibility and work with the spirit of champions."
Meitham Jabar, a Zawraa player, praised Al-Qasim's quality and said his team is ready for the clash, emphasizing focus on applying the coach's duties and always aiming for victory.
Emad Nahoush later took charge of Zawraa, replacing Abdul Ghani Shah, who left after a loss to Powerhouses; Zawraa currently sits 18th with 2 points, while Al-Qasim are 19th with 1 point alongside Electricity (20th) without a win.
The piece closes noting Zawraa's and Al-Qasim's need to bounce back and how the league's bottom pack will fight to climb the table.
And in the spirit of football banter, if goals were sniper shots, today’s strikers would be licensed to aim for the back of the net—with occasional misfires that only make the crowd's laughter louder.
On a more serious note, fans can expect tighter defenses and more late drama as teams chase consistency and key wins in the weeks ahead.
