The Students team achieved an important and difficult victory over their guest Zakho with a clean goal in the match that took place this evening, Saturday, at the Al-Madina International Stadium in Baghdad, as part of the first round of the Iraqi Stars League for the 2025-2026 season.

The only goal of the match was scored by player Zaid Ismail in the 21st minute, granting his team three points at the start of the new season, amidst enthusiastic atmosphere from the fans who were keen to follow the match and support their team.

The match witnessed a balanced performance from both teams, as Zakho tried to impose their attacking style from the beginning, while the Students relied on defensive spread and quick transitions in counter-attacks.

Despite the numerous chances from both teams, the defensive organization and teamwork prevented any additional goals from being scored, leaving the score settled at a single goal in favor of the home team.

The match featured a tight tactic from Students' coach Talal Al-Balushi, who succeeded in controlling the midfield and stopping the danger of Zakho's attackers, while the latter tried to exploit speed and wings to reach the host team's goal, but to no avail.

This victory is considered a strong starting point for the Students at the beginning of the season, as the management and coaching staff confirmed that the team has the ability to compete strongly for the league title after strengthening its ranks with several distinguished signings in preparation for the new season.

On the other hand, Zakho is suffering from some defensive errors that cost them the goal, despite the good performance they showed during most of the match, and the team hopes to correct those mistakes before facing their rivals in the upcoming rounds to compensate for the difficult start.