Zakho Triumphs 1-0 as Al-Qasim Falters; Al-Studenta Slips in a Drama-Filled Iraqi League
24 November 2025
Matchday highlights
Zakho earned a vital 1-0 win over host Al-Qasim on Sunday evening, closing round seven in the Iraqi Premier League.
Mohammad Ali Aboud scored the decisive goal in the 36th minute to give his side three valuable points, following their impressive victory over Al Ain of the UAE in the Gulf Champions League on November 4, ahead of the international break.
Under Qatari coach Wasem Rizq, Zakho collected their fourth win from seven rounds, lifting their total to 13 points and placing them sixth in the standings.
Al-Qasim's tally stagnated at one point in 20th place, still winless after seven rounds, the only side without a victory beside Al-Kahraba.
Al-Studenta’s loss and other results
In contrast, Al-Studenta fell to Amanat Baghdad 1-2 earlier on Sunday after parting ways with their Qatari coach Talal Al-Balooshi.
Montazer Adel Naama put the visitors ahead in the 8th minute after a bright start by coach Igor, but Amanat Baghdad equalized from a 31st-minute penalty converted by Jabar Karim.
Benio Flavio sealed the win for Amanat Baghdad in the 50th minute, handing them a vital three points.
Amanat Baghdad rose to 9 points, sitting 14th, while Al-Studenta dropped to 10th with 11 points.
Round results and standings
The round began with a resounding 3-0 win for Al-Shorta over Al-Karkh, with Cameroonian Lionel Atiba scoring a hat-trick.
Al-Zawraa beat Nooruz 2-1, Naft Maysan and Duhok drew 2-2, and Mosul beat Naft 2-1.
Al-Diyala defeated Al-Ghraf 2-1, while Al-Quwa Jawiya beat visiting Najaf 2-0.
Erbil leads with 19 points under coach Basem Qasim, three ahead of Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, coached by Rashid Jaber.
Al-Shorta, champions, sit third with 15 points, one behind Diyala; Al-Karma sits fifth with 13 points, level with Zakho on goal difference.
The league committee postponed Round 8 due to the national team’s Arab Cup preparations, between December 1-18.
Iraq squad for the Arab Cup
Australian coach Graham Arnold announced the official squad for Iraq, the Lions of Mesopotamia, lining up veterans and new talents to chase a strong Arab Cup showing.
The squad includes: Goalkeepers Jalal Hassan, Fahd Talib, Ahmed Basil; Defenders Saad Natq, Akam Hashim, Manaf Youns, Mitham Jaber, Mustafa Saadoun, Osama Rasheed, Amer Sabah, Hussein Ali.
Midfielders Ahmed Yahya, Ahmed Maknzi, Hassan Abdul Karim, Marco Faraj, Sajad Jasim, Ibrahim Bayesh, Karar Nabil.
Forwards Ammar Mohsen, Mohammed Jawad, Ayman Hussein, Ali Jassim, Mohand Ali. Iraq opens on December 3 vs the winner of Bahrain/Djibouti; December 6 vs Lebanon or Sudan; December 9 vs Algeria, with a challenging group schedule ahead.
And yes, the calendar might be tight, but the ball travels faster than a rumor in a press room.
Punchline: If football had a sniper, it would take out the hat-trick before the halftime whistle.
Punchline: And if you think the league calendar is tight, just wait—the ball will have a passport by December and still arrive late to the party.
