Najaf Club was eliminated early from the Iraq Cup after losing to its host, Al-Masafi Club, in the 32nd round match held this evening at Al-Masafi Stadium in Baghdad.

The original time of the match ended in a goalless draw (0-0) between the two teams, despite both sides' attempts to score the leading goal, as the match witnessed a high level of intensity and a lack of decisiveness in the final touch.

After the original time ended, the two teams went to penalty shootouts, which favored the home team, allowing Al-Masafi Club to secure victory with a score of (5-4) and officially qualify for the 16th round of the Iraq Cup.

Najaf's loss today added to the team's struggles this season, as it failed to achieve any victories in the first four rounds of the Iraqi league, suffering four consecutive defeats before being eliminated early from the Iraq Cup against a team that competes in the second division.

This elimination comes less than 24 hours after the Najaf Club management announced the termination of its Egyptian coach Mohamed Abdel Azim “Azima” by mutual consent, following a series of negative results, appointing Iraqi coach Ali Abdul Jabbar as his replacement. However, the latter did not succeed in his first official test with the team, losing to Al-Masafi and exiting the tournament.

On the other hand, Al-Masafi Club achieved a historic victory over one of the most important Iraqi clubs, confirming its technical development under its local coach who managed to intelligently handle the match's dynamics, relying on tactical discipline and organized defense before deciding the match in the penalty shootout.

The team will try to continue its journey in the tournament with a balanced performance, hoping to write a new chapter in its football career by reaching advanced stages in the competition.

In the coming hours, a decisive meeting is expected for the Najaf Club management to evaluate the current situation of the team, especially after exiting the cup and its poor start in the league, amid fan demands for urgent technical improvements before it's too late.

With this victory, Al-Masafi Club continues its adventure in the Iraq Cup, while Najaf Club is experiencing one of its toughest periods in recent years, following a series of negative results that have put the team under significant fan and administrative pressure.