Naft Misana and Naft played out a 0-0 draw in the Iraqi League's second round on Wednesday. The match ended without any goals despite both sides creating opportunities. By then, the hosts had already managed a draw against Al-Joulan in their opening fixture.
Naft Misana came closest to breaking the deadlock. They registered four shots on target compared to their visitors' single attempt. And here's the thing — the hosts had more shots off target as well, suggesting they created space but lacked precision in the final third. The away side's goalkeeper had less to do, facing only one shot on target all evening.
Both teams accumulated similar attacking numbers. Naft Misana recorded 107 attacks to Naft's 99, while corners were even at four apiece. Possession split nearly evenly at 51-49 in favour of the home side. To be fair, neither team could string together sustained pressure. Yellow cards totalled six between them — two for the hosts, four for the visitors.
The result leaves Naft Misana rooted to 18th place with three points from five games. They remain winless in the new campaign, having drawn three and lost twice. Naft sit in 10th position with six points from four matches, having won once and drawn three times without suffering a defeat.
This was another stalemate for the hosts, extending their recent pattern of tight encounters. Their last outing also finished 0-0 against Al-Joulan. By then, Naft had already shown they could convert chances, beating Al-Karkh 2-0 in their previous fixture. The visitors will be disappointed not to add to their winning tally, while the hosts continue to search for their first victory of the season.