Al-Zawraa faces the derby against Al-Shorta tomorrow, Monday, at the International People's Stadium, burdened by significant absences, especially in the midfield, placing coach Luay Salah in difficult tests to reorganize his plans ahead of one of the most important matches of the season in the 28th round of the Iraqi Stars League.

It has been confirmed that the midfield star Mohamed Qasim will miss the match against Al-Shorta due to injury, a painful blow for 'The Eagles' given the technical and physical weight the player represents in the midfield.

Qasim is not just an ordinary player in Al-Zawraa's lineup; he scored the team's only goal in the first phase match against Al-Shorta, which ended in a 2-1 loss for Al-Zawraa.

His absence means losing a player skilled in linking the lines and shooting from outside the area, in addition to his experience in such crowd-heavy confrontations. The technical staff will be required to find a substitute capable of compensating for his attacking inclination and ability to break defensive blocks.

The second blow came with the confirmed absence of another midfielder, Alexander Oraha, also due to injury, causing Al-Zawraa to lose two key elements in the maneuvering area at once before the derby.

Al-Zawraa's troubles did not stop at injuries, as Cameroonian midfielder Clarence Junior will be absent due to a technical decision by coach Luay Salah, indicating a lack of complete satisfaction with his performance during the past period.

In the backline, doubts hover over the participation of the duo Omar Nouri and Kevin Mefidi due to incomplete physical readiness. Their participation will be decided in the final training or even on the morning of the match.