The eyes of the football street in the capital, Baghdad, turn tomorrow evening, Thursday, February 25, towards Al-Zawraa Stadium, which will host an anticipated popular clash between Al-Zawraa and its traditional rival Al-Shorta, as part of the first round of the Iraqi Stars League, which was previously postponed due to both teams' participation in external commitments.

The kickoff is scheduled for 9:30 PM, in a match expected to witness a large audience presence and enthusiastic atmosphere befitting the value and history of both teams in Iraqi football.

Al-Zawraa enters the confrontation under relatively complex technical and moral conditions, following the recent loss to Al-Karkh in the league, which was followed by the departure of Egyptian coach Emad Al-Nahhas from leading the team.

The management decided to assign the task temporarily to coach Luay Salah until the end of the current season, in an attempt to restore balance and correct the course.

The team also exited the AFC Champions League 2 from the round of 16 after losing to Al-Wasl, which increases the importance of the derby match as an ideal opportunity to regain confidence and return to the path of victories.

Despite these challenges, Al-Zawraa relies on a group of experienced players and young elements capable of making a difference, as the "Nawras" seeks to exploit the home and crowd advantage to achieve a positive result that brings the team back into the competitive atmosphere and gives the technical staff a strong boost before upcoming commitments.

On the other hand, Al-Shorta enters the match with high spirits after a series of positive results, as it managed to achieve victory over Diyala in the last round of the league, and before that secured an important win over Al-Duhail in the Asian Elite Championship, which boosted the players' confidence and confirmed their readiness for big appointments.

The "Green Harp" relies on clear technical stability and a lineup that includes a number of prominent names characterized by harmony and experience in derby matches, giving the team a relative advantage in terms of stability and mental preparation for the confrontation.