Al-Qarma secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Diyalah in the Iraqi League's fifth round of the regular season. The visitors, who had been unbeaten through four matches, extended their run to five games without defeat. Diyalah's hopes of climbing away from the bottom half of the table were dented as they dropped points at home.
The opening exchanges were end-to-end, with neither side able to establish control. Diyalah struck first in the fifth minute, catching the visitors off guard on a swift break. Al-Qarma responded quickly, and M. Hamdi equalised just five minutes later with a well-taken finish. The early tempo suggested this would be an open contest.
For much of the afternoon, possession was evenly shared at 50 per cent each, but the difference lay in clinical finishing. Diyalah registered six shots on target with 55 per cent accuracy, while Al-Qarma managed five on target from 45 per cent accuracy. The statistics told one story; the result told another.
It took until the 66th minute for Diyalah to retake the lead through A. Faisal, who rose above his markers to power home a header. The home crowd stirred, believing the three points were within reach. But Al-Qarma's experience showed through in the closing stages, and Z. Jabbar restored the visitors' advantage in the 84th minute with a composed finish.
The result leaves Al-Qarma third on eight points, still unbeaten and pushing toward the upper reaches of the table. Diyalah remain in ninth with five points from four matches, their consistency issues continuing to haunt them. Both sides had chances to close out the game, but Al-Qarma's edge in the final moments proved decisive.