Late Goals and Derby Sparks: Karama Crushes Electricity as Iraqi Round 5 Heats Up
25 October 2025
Round 5 Highlights
In the fifth round of the Iraqi Premier League, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al-Gharraf played to a 1-1 draw on a day filled with late drama and tight schedules. Mohammed Jawad put Quwa Al-Jawiya ahead in stoppage time at 45+2 minutes, only for Anis Salam to respond for Al-Gharraf at 47 minutes, restoring parity and keeping the title race genuinely unsettled.
With the result, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya climbed to 10 points, placing them fifth in the standings under coach Rashid Jaber, while Al-Gharraf remained in third on 11 points. Erbil continued to lead the table with 13 points, one clear of Diyala, who sat in second.
Derby Sparks: Duhok and Karama Shine
Earlier in the day, Duhok revived their campaign by beating Noruz 2-0 away, under their new mentor Abdul Ghani Shah. Peter Korkis struck twice, at 32 and 55 minutes, sealing the derby win and giving Duhok their first league victory after a lean spell that had seen four straight defeats.
That result left Noruz with three points and 16th place, while Duhok rose to three points and momentum under Sheikh’s leadership.
Karama Crushes Electricity
The centerpiece of the day was Karama’s emphatic 4-0 win over Electricity. Yusuf Omaru opened the scoring at 20 minutes, Ahmed Makazi doubled the lead at 45+6, then added a third at 52 minutes. Jordanian star Ali Alwan completed the scoring in the 64th minute, as the match unfolded with Karama in the ascendancy throughout. Electricity suffered with veteran defender Ayman Husayn out through injury, while substitute coach Qusai Munir steered the side in the absence of head coach Riadh Shneeshil due to health reasons.
Karama’s victory lifted them to 10 points and the third spot in the table, while Electricity remained on a solitary point, sitting 18th. The result also underscored the gap between a rising Karama and a struggling Electricity as the league progresses.
Meanwhile, look-ahead pressure built for the coming rounds, with several key fixtures around the corner, including Diyala vs. Al-Minaa and Najaf vs. Al-Quwa’s future opponents.
Upcoming fixtures and quotes
Sunday’s schedule promises more thrills as Diyala face Al-Minaa, Oilers meet Amanah Baghdad, Zakho host Mosul, and Najaf take on Al-Student. In pre-match remarks, Talal Al-Balushi of Al-Student insisted his side would hunt victory in every game, while Nasser Al-Hashim of Najaf emphasized focusing on performance over sentiment. Players from Diyala and Al-Minaa stressed resilience and ambition to climb the table—echoing the league’s competitive mood as teams chase consistency.
The defending champions and the chase for consistency
The weekend’s narratives suggest a tightening title race, with Erbil continuing to lead and other teams jostling for top spots.
Punchline 1: If football were a sniper rifle, small margins would be the only thing you can’t miss—except in this league, apparently, where margins keep changing like your Wi-Fi signal during a video call.
Punchline 2: They say football is a simple game: 22 players chase a ball for 90 minutes, and at the end, a referee still makes you question your life choices. Somewhere in translation, that’s what keeps the fans coming back for more.
