The opening round of the Iraqi Stars League delivered dramatic action on Saturday, as Diala came from behind to beat Al-Shorta 2-1, while Zakho earned a narrow 1-0 win over Gas Al-Shamal.
The league began with competitive fixtures and late goals that changed results in the closing minutes, setting the tone for what could be a tightly contested season.
Diala wins it late
Al-Shorta went ahead through Saif Rasheed in the 18th minute, but Diala fought back through Mohammed Khudair, who equalised in the 83rd minute.
Just three minutes later, Salem Ahmed scored the winning goal in the 86th minute to complete a dramatic turnaround and give Diala a memorable opening-day victory.
Zakho edges Gas Al-Shamal
In the second match, Zakho secured a valuable 1-0 win over Gas Al-Shamal thanks to a goal from Iraq international Mustafa Saadoun in the 70th minute.
The result handed Zakho an important three points to start the campaign, while Gas Al-Shamal left empty-handed.
Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya held in thrilling draw
In another round-one fixture, reigning champions Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya began their title defence with a dramatic 3-3 draw away to Newroz.
Al-Jawiya took an early lead through Saad al-Rousan in the 5th minute, but Newroz responded with three goals in 20 minutes from Mohammed Dalawer, Ibrahim Ghazi from the penalty spot, and Tanzanian forward Simon Msuva in the 11th, 25th and 31st minutes.
Mohammed Jawad rescues the champions
Despite falling 3-1 behind, Mohammed Jawad rescued his side with two late goals, scoring in first-half stoppage time (45+3) and again in second-half stoppage time (90+9) to secure a valuable point.
Al-Naft defeat Al-Karkh, Naft Maysan draw with Al-Jolan
Al-Naft also opened their season with a strong 2-0 win over Al-Karkh, with Brazilian Kayske de Santos scoring both goals in the 12th and 22nd minutes.
Elsewhere, Naft Maysan and Al-Jolan played out a goalless draw, with Al-Jolan’s Youssef Fawzi missing a penalty in the 89th minute.
Strong start to a competitive season
The first round of the Iraqi Stars League suggests an exciting season ahead, with late goals, dramatic comebacks and narrow victories already shaping the table.
The results indicate an early battle for points, as clubs look to establish momentum from the outset.
Conclusion:
The Iraqi Stars League opened with high drama, highlighted by Diala’s comeback over Al-Shorta, Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya’s wild draw with Newroz, and Al-Naft’s win over Al-Karkh. The opening round suggests the new season will be full of surprises and closely fought matches.
