Despite the bitterness of losing in the big final, the goalkeeper of Zakho Club, Ali Kazem, made a realistic and proud statement following the end of his team's match against Duhok in the Iraqi Cup final, which ended in favor of Duhok after a penalty shootout following a goalless draw in regular and extra time.

Ali Kazem said:

"Hard luck to our team and all the fans of Zakho, and congratulations to Duhok. We played a great match and were a strong contender despite the numerical disadvantage that clearly affected us at critical moments of the match."

The goalkeeper expressed his pride in what the team achieved during the tournament, clarifying:

"We worked hard, fought until the last moment, and tried to write history with our feet and hearts, but this is the nature of football... some days are yours and some days are against you."

Ali Kazem confirmed that what Zakho team has achieved this season, reaching the Iraqi Cup final, was not a trivial matter, but rather the result of continuous teamwork from the players, management, and coaching staff, adding:

"The fans of Zakho should be proud of this team. Yes, we did not secure the title, but we wrote a beautiful chapter of giving, and the future is still ahead for this group."

Regarding his personal future with Zakho Club, Ali Kazem said:

"Things have not been decided yet, and it is still early to talk about the next direction. In the coming days, I will sit with the club management and will officially decide my fate."

It is worth mentioning that Ali Kazem was one of the standout stars of Zakho this season, drawing attention with his decisive saves throughout the tournament, and he was close to becoming a hero in the penalty shootout had it not been for the last penalty being retaken after a review by the video technology.