Sami Al-Trabelsi reveals secrets of the draw with Al Talaba

Al-Shorta coach Sami Al-Trabelsi appeared at the official press conference following the Baghdad derby against Al Talaba, which ended in a goalless draw 0-0 at the Al-Madina International Stadium, to clarify the tactical and physical reasons that led to this disappointing result for the Green Lantern fans.

Al Traboulsi began his analysis of the match by discussing the technical aspects, noting that the play was largely confined to the midfield, and he emphasized that his team was relatively the better side.

He said: "We played a good match in terms of organization and tactics, we succeeded in asserting our control over the midfield and creating several dangerous attacking opportunities, but the main problem was wasting many clear chances to score."

The Tunisian coach added:

"The lack of a decisive final touch in front of goal is what denied us the three points. We clearly dominated but did not convert that dominance into goals."

Regarding his reading of Al Talaba's style in the match, Al-Trabelsi explained that the opponent played in a purely defensive manner.

He said: "Al Talaba players relied entirely on defensive organization and closing spaces to avoid conceding goals, while trying to play on counter-attacks, and this approach makes it difficult to penetrate their defense."

He continued:

"We knew they would play this way, we tried from the flanks and through the middle, but Al Talaba's defensive organization was high, and the play was often confined to the midfield because of that."

Al Talaba's coach has not hidden his worry about the physical situation the team is currently experiencing, especially with the pressure of local and continental matches.

He said: "We are suffering from several injuries within the team during this period, and this clearly affects our options. We have important absences that have forced us to handle the course of the match with caution."

The coaching staff preferred not to take risks with some players returning from injury to avoid worsening their condition before traveling to India.

The coach concluded by highlighting the team's future and the need to strengthen the squad.

He said: "We are relying heavily on the upcoming winter transfer window, the team needs to fill the gaps and provide additional options capable of making a difference, especially in the attacking line."

The draw has lifted Al-Shorta to 16 points, keeping them in fourth place in the Iraqi Premier League table, while Al Talaba has increased their tally to 11 points in tenth place. The Al-Shorta delegation will depart today, Friday, to India to face East Bengal FC on October 13 in the second round of the AFC Champions League.