The Al-Student team secured a valuable draw against their host Al-Zawraa (1-1) in the highlight of the second round of the Iraqi Stars League, in an exciting match attended by more than 16,000 spectators, allowing the "elegant" team to return with a precious point that boosted their tally to 4 points at the start of their journey in the new season.

Qatari coach Talal Al-Balushi stated in media remarks after the match: "The match was very enjoyable, and the summit lived up to its promises. Everything was beautiful, whether on the field or in the stands. We thank the fans of both teams for their sportsmanship, as we received great welcome and respect even from the rival fans."

He added: "Both teams shared the halves of the match. In the first half, we made some mistakes and Al-Zawraa was better, but in the second half, we returned strongly and managed to create many opportunities and achieved our goal. For us, a draw against a big team like Al-Zawraa is a positive result."

Al-Balushi further stated: "The true level of Al-Student appeared in the second half after we read the opponent well, benefited from the substitutions, and exploited the spaces. These matters confirm that we are on the right path."

He continued: "We have a new group of players that need more harmony. Therefore, achieving harmony will be our top priority in the upcoming period, along with correcting mistakes and enhancing our strengths."

He concluded his remarks by saying: "We are satisfied with the performance and the result, and we will continue to work so that the team appears in the best shape in the upcoming rounds. The journey is long, but we are confident that the elegant team will be in its natural position at the top."