Al Shorta SC — Al Kahrabaa: 2:0, Iraqi League

Al-Shorta beat Al-Karkh 2-0 on Saturday in the eighth round of the Iraqi League. The result came through as expected, though not without the usual grind. And here's the thing — it was not a match defined by dominance so much as patience.

The breakthrough arrived in the 43rd minute when A. Yahia Alwan found the net. It was the kind of goal that settles a game, and Al-Shorta did not rush to complicate matters. They sat deep and soaked it up, waiting for the right moment to strike again.

A. Basim ended a barren spell in the 90th minute, adding a second that left any hope of a comeback without foundation. By then the visitors had turned to the kids, but the damage was done. The home side punished them from a corner, and the scoreline told the full story.

Both teams shared possession evenly at 50 per cent, yet the quality of chances separated them. Al-Shorta registered three shots on target against four off, while Al-Karkh managed only one shot on target from nine attempts off target. They found no answer to the pressure, and the extra yellow cards — three for the hosts, two for the visitors — reflected a game that grew tight.

The win moves Al-Shorta up to sixth place with 12 points from seven games, while Al-Karkh remain in 15th with seven points. The prediction of a home victory came true at 64 per cent confidence, and the result extends their unbeaten run. Cup football has its own rules, but this was league football, and the table now reflects that.