Al-Najaf team secured a valuable positive draw against their host Duhok with a score of 1-1, in the match that took place this Saturday evening at Duhok Stadium, as part of the 35th round of the Iraqi Stars League. The match was filled with excitement and competitiveness, featuring impactful refereeing decisions, disallowed goals, and red cards.

The match started quickly, and Al-Najaf managed to shake the net early through Alaa Mahawi in the fourth minute, but the referee disallowed the goal for offside. The response came from the home team in the 31st minute, when defender Moses Lucas rose to a corner kick and skillfully headed it into the net, giving Duhok the lead.

The final minutes of the first half witnessed a major turning point, as Al-Najaf defender Fabrice received a second yellow card and was sent off in the 45th minute, putting his team in a difficult position at the start of the second half.

Before the end of the first half, Duhok nearly widened the gap with a second goal from Ibrahim Ghazi in the 49th minute, but the referee disallowed the goal due to a handball that was called against him while controlling the ball.

Despite the numerical disadvantage, Al-Najaf did not give up and managed to come back in the match through their international star Mohammed Qasim, who fired a powerful shot from outside the penalty area in the 65th minute, which settled in the net, bringing the match back to a draw amid great joy from the guests.

The match was characterized by high competitiveness and witnessed dramatic twists, from disallowed goals to red cards, with intense attempts from Duhok to snatch the three points, but Al-Najaf's resilience turned the tables and denied the home team a win that was within reach.