Basim Qasim Comments After Draw with Karbala

Al-Zawraa concluded their match against Karbala with a 1-1 draw, in a game that saw an early red card and a dramatic equalizer in stoppage time.

Following the match, coach Basem Qassem and midfielder Mohamed Qassem made statements that highlighted the level of dissatisfaction and frustration within the team.

The head coach of Al-Zawraa appeared angry about the match result, stating that the circumstances of the game were not in his team's favor since the 13th minute.

Qasim stated: "Honestly, the early red card for Massis Artin completely changed the dynamics of the match. Playing 80 minutes with ten players against Karbala is very difficult for any team."

He added: "Despite that, the players put in a great effort. We took the lead with Cabrera's goal and were very close to achieving our first win. But an individual error in the last minute denied us the three points. That's football; small details decide the outcome."

Regarding the lack of cohesion, the coach explained: "The team is largely new. We need time for the harmony to reach the required level. Today we proved that we have character, but we need to focus more until the final whistle."

Qasim concluded his remarks by affirming his support for the players: "I take full responsibility. We will work on correcting the mistakes, and I am confident that better days are ahead for Al-Zawraa."

Midfielder Mohamed Qassem spoke about the difficulty of the match and praised the fighting spirit of his teammates.

"Thank God for everything, a point from Karbala with ten players is not bad, but our ambition was to win."

He continued: "We pressed and delivered a great match despite being a man down. The equalizer in the 90th minute frustrated us all. We deserved at least three points for the effort we put in."

Regarding the refereeing situation, Qassem cautiously remarked: "I respect the referees' decisions, but the early red card made our task more difficult. As players, we need to be stronger and secure matches before reaching these moments."

The midfielder concluded his message to the fans: "We apologize to the Zawraa fans. We promise to make it up in the upcoming matches. The team needs their support at this stage, and we are working hard to make them happy."

With this draw, Al-Zawraa has raised its tally to two points from two matches, and they are still looking for their first win of the season.