Basem Qassem: This is the beginning of the road, and the fans deserve more

Al-Zawraa's coach Basim Qasim and player Mohammed Qasim spoke after the commanding 4-0 victory over Zakho last night at Al-Zawraa Stadium, in the fourth round of the Iraqi Premier League.

The win lifted Lazio's tally to 8 points, placing them temporarily at the top of the table, and sent a strong message to the rest of the competitors.

Coach Bassem Qassem appeared happy but cautioned against complacency, emphasizing that the team is still at the beginning of its journey.

Qasim stated at the press conference:

"I congratulate the players and the fans on this great and deserved win. The players entered the match with high focus and executed all the instructions to the letter."

He added:

"We pressed from the start and capitalized on the opponent's mistakes. Our ball circulation was excellent, which denied Zakho any threat. I am proud of the players' fighting spirit throughout the 90 minutes."

Qassem discussed the factor of the fans:

"The fans today were amazing. The stadium was full and the noise never stopped. This support gives us strength. We promise to keep going and fight to make them happy."

The coach concluded:

"We don't want to get carried away. We won today, but the next matches will be tougher. Our goal is consistency and improving our performance. We have a lot of work to do to reach the level we want."

Mohamed Qassem, the scorer of the first goal in the match, spoke about the game and the team's atmosphere.

Qasim said:

"Thank God for the victory. We dedicate this goal and these three points to the great Al-Zawraa fans who attended and supported us from the first minute."

The midfielder star added:

"We entered the match with a winning mentality. We knew that Zakho is a special team, but we were the better side and deserved the result. The previous win against Naft Maysan gave us a big boost, without a doubt."

Regarding his personal goal, he said:

"The most important thing is the team's victory. The goal is just a step. We work as one group and everyone fights for the badge."

Mohamed Qassem concluded:

"Being at the top today means nothing. The league is long and the competition has just begun. We will close the book on this match and focus on the next one."