Diyala club coach, Tunisian Yamen Al-Zulfani, expressed his great disappointment after his team's loss to Al-Shorta club by a goal to nil, which came in the final minutes of the match. He confirmed that his team delivered a great performance tactically and was close to achieving a positive result against one of the league's top teams.

In his statement to the media after the final whistle, Al-Zulfani said:

"We feel sad and let down because we deserved at least a point from this match. We played against a great team that has distinguished players, but we stood strong and closed the spaces excellently, and we were very close to finishing the match with a clean sheet. But football can be unforgiving at times, and the last-minute goal broke all our efforts."

The Tunisian coach also addressed the refereeing aspect, indicating that it was not up to the level of the match, adding:

"With all due respect to the referee, there were decisions that were harsh on us, and personally, I reserve some details that contributed to breaking the rhythm of the match in favor of Al-Shorta. We believe in fair competition, but we only demand justice because the work and effort put in on the field should not be wasted due to refereeing oversight or misjudgment."

Al-Zulfani emphasized that this loss will not affect the team's determination, pointing out that the strong performance against a club like Al-Shorta is evidence of the development occurring within the group. He said:

"I am very proud of what the players have shown, especially in terms of mental strength and defensive discipline. The team is starting to become more cohesive, and in every match, we gain technical points even if we lose on paper. Diyala is starting to be taken seriously, and we will come back stronger in the upcoming matches."

He concluded his remarks with a message to the club's fans:

"I tell the Diyala fans, do not be sad, as the team plays with bravery, and we will continue to fight for survival in the spotlight league. We have a clear project, and God willing, our efforts will translate into positive results soon."