Erbil secured a 2-0 victory against Al-Minaa Basra in the Iraqi League, Regular Season - 4, on Sunday evening. The home side took all three points at their ground, closing out the fixture with two goals across the match. Both teams arrived with identical records heading into this encounter.
Miullen opened the scoring in the 18th minute, giving Erbil an early lead. By then, Al-Minaa had already begun to control possession, though the visitors could not find the net. The home side held firm through the middle period, refusing to go away despite being outnumbered in the midfield.
C. John doubled Erbil's advantage in the 79th minute, a moment that effectively closed the game out. The hosts were dominant in the air from set plays throughout, winning six corners compared to their opponents' eleven. To be fair, Al-Minaa created more attacking moves, but their finishing lacked precision.
The statistics tell an uneven story. Erbil managed only 16 attacks with three shots on target, while Al-Minaa registered 19 attacks and just one shot on target. Possession favoured the visitors at 0.57 against 0.43, yet the shots on target ratio — 3-1 — tells a different tale. And here's the thing about these numbers: they do not always reflect who created the better chances.
Both sides now sit on seven points after three games, though Erbil occupy fourth place while Al-Minaa remain third. The result ends a run of mixed form for the hosts, who had drawn with Al-Kuwwa al-Jawiya and won against Al-Karaba in their previous outings. Al-Minaa, meanwhile, will look to recover from this setback after their 3-0 victory over Garrif last weekend.