Iraqi football fans are anticipating a fiery encounter in the semi-final round of the Iraq Cup, bringing together two major teams, the Air Force and Duhok, in a match that will be played at Duhok Stadium, with the official date to be determined later by the competition committee of the Football Association.

The Falcons reached this stage after a deserving victory over Najaf with a score of 3-1 in a match that witnessed strong collective performance from coach Ali Abdul Jabbar's squad. Mohammed Jawad opened the scoring in the 10th minute, before Senegalese star Dominique Mendy equalized for Najaf in the 27th minute. However, the Air Force regained control in the 45+2 minute through Misuki Olmo, before captain Saad Abdul Amir ended Najaf's hopes with a third goal in the 69th minute, confirming his team's passage to the semi-finals.

On its part, Duhok continued its impressive performances this season with a valuable win over Al-Mina'a by the same score of 3-1. Despite falling behind with a goal from Mujtaba Ali in the 23rd minute, Duhok made a strong comeback through Siabind Akid in the 45+3 minute, then continued to advance with two penalty goals scored by Karim Darwish (68') and Ibrahim Ghazi (90+6'), confirming its right to reach the semi-finals.

The upcoming clash between the Air Force and Duhok is considered one of the highlight matches of the cup this season, not only due to the technical strength of both teams but also because of the revengeful nature between two teams with a great ambition to clinch the title.

The Air Force, which is experiencing a fluctuating domestic season, seeks to compensate for its failure in the league and attempt to win the cup title, which could save its season, while Duhok, which has overcome difficult periods this year, is trying to continue its dream journey and return to prominence through the cup.