Al-Shorta edge Al-Gharafa with a brace in the league

Al-Shorta secured an important and tough victory against Al-Gharafa, winning 2-1, in a match that took place last night at the Nasiriyah International Stadium, as part of the sixth round of the Iraq Stars League.

The two teams entered the match with different morale. Al-Shorta were looking to get back to winning ways after their recent draw, while Al-Gharafa wanted to take advantage of home advantage and their fans to escape the cycle of fluctuating results.

The match started cautiously from both sides with a slight advantage for Al-Gharafa in possession and building attacks. Al-Gharafa managed to find the net against Al-Shorta in the 28th minute through Erhun Obanor, but the referee disallowed the goal for offside after consulting the assistant, keeping the score at 0-0.

Despite mutual attempts, neither team succeeded in translating their opportunities into goals, resulting in a goalless draw at halftime.

As the second half began, the pace of the game increased. In the 65th minute, Al-Shorta were awarded a penalty after a clear foul in the area, which Christian Barco converted to give Al-Shorta the lead.

Al Gharafa did not delay their response, as the home side quickly equalized with a goal from Ahmed Al-Hadri in the 72nd minute, amidst great excitement from the attending fans.

The police proved their heroism by scoring a second goal in the 74th minute through Abdullah Basim, clinching the three points in a dramatic finish.

Al-Gharafa tried to equalize in the remaining minutes and pressed with all their lines, but Al-Shorta's defense and the experience of their players managed to maintain the score until the final whistle.

With this victory, Al-Shorta has raised its tally to 11 points in 4th place, confirming its strong return to the competition for the top positions after a shaky start.

Al-Gharafa remain in 15th place with 5 points, continuing their struggles and needing to rectify their situation quickly to avoid deeper wounds in the standings.