From the silent Baghdad derby, Al-Shorta soar to India

As soon as the final whistle of the Baghdad derby blew at the Al-Madina International Stadium, the Al-Shorta delegation packed their bags to embark on a new and intensive continental journey that spans thousands of miles.

The Green Lyre, which secured a disappointing goalless draw against Al Talaba, has shifted its focus entirely to the external front, departing the capital Baghdad towards Indian territory.

The team will be set for an important continental test when they face East Bengal FC on October 13, as part of the second round of the AFC Champions League.

Reflecting on last night's match, Al-Shorta's performance faced widespread fan criticism after failing to break down Al Talaba's defense.

However, the behind-the-scenes revealed that the draw was merely the result of a cautious strategy managed by the coaching staff.

With a congested fixture schedule and the challenging trip to Asia ahead, the coach opted not to exhaust his players' physical reserves completely, sacrificing the usual attacking impetus to avoid the specter of injuries.

The result kept Al-Shorta in the top four with 16 points, but it left the impression that the team's thoughts had already traveled to India before the plane itself.

Behind the scenes, Al-Shorta Club's management has been engaged in a different kind of marathon that raised concerns in recent days.

Bureaucratic and administrative obstacles related to the issuance of passports and visas for some professional players and technical staff nearly threatened the cohesion of the delegation.

However, intensive diplomatic and administrative efforts succeeded in fully resolving the crisis at the last moment, allowing the delegation to fly today, Friday, with its entire official staff and players without any absences that could disrupt the team's plans before the AFC Champions League battle.

The good news that delighted the fans of the national team was the presence of first-team star, international striker Mohanad Ali "Mimi" in the departing delegation.

Mimi, who recently suffered an injury that kept him off the pitch, underwent an intensive rehabilitation program. In a move marked by intelligence and tactical shrewdness, the head coach decided to rest him completely and exclude him from the intense match against Al Talaba, giving him ample time for full recovery and saving his scoring energy to hit the Indian net.

With high spirits and a strong desire to make amends, the Green Harps have arrived in preparation for the match that will take place at the famous Salt Lake Stadium in India.

Iraq's champion aims to exploit the precious victory they achieved in the first round against Oman’s Al Seeb (1-0) to enhance their tally and take hold of the top spot in Group D.

The match will not be easy against East Bengal FC, who will be bolstered by their home ground and fans, but the complete administrative and technical staff of Al Talaba provides them with the greatest motivation to return to Baghdad with a full score.