In a strong and competitive match, Duhok snatched a valuable victory from their guest Al-Talaba with a score of one goal to nil, in the encounter that took place this evening at Duhok Stadium as part of the third round of the Iraqi Premier League. The only goal of the match came in the final minutes, securing the victory for the home team in a match characterized by parity and cautious play until the decisive moment.

The match started at a medium pace from both sides, with a relative advantage for Duhok in possession, as coach Miral's team tried to impose their style from the beginning. However, the elegant defense led by coach Basim Qasim dealt intelligently with the pressure, closing all avenues leading to goalkeeper Mohammed Saleh's net.

On the other hand, Al-Talaba relied on counter-attacks and set pieces, trying to exploit the physical strength of their players inside the penalty area. The first half ended without goals despite some attempts from both sides.

The second half saw an improvement in Duhok's attacking performance, especially after the substitutions made by Miral to enhance the offensive density. In contrast, it seemed that Al-Talaba was affected by a lack of focus in the final third of the field and could not translate their control into real chances.

The decisive moment came in the 82nd minute when Duhok earned a corner that was executed in a distinctive manner, allowing the ball to reach defender Torsi inside the penalty area. He received it and struck it powerfully with his foot into the net of goalkeeper Fahd Talib, scoring the only goal of the match amid overwhelming joy from the fans in the stands of Duhok Stadium.

Despite Al-Talaba's attempts in the remaining minutes, Duhok's defense held firm and goalkeeper Mohammed Saleh excelled, preventing an equalizer, and the match ended with an important victory for the northern team, bringing them back into strong contention for the top positions, especially with the team having several postponed matches.

With this victory, Duhok raised its tally to 51 points (with several postponed matches), while Al-Talaba's tally remained at 56 points, which could affect their position in the golden square if the loss of points continues in the upcoming crucial rounds.