Al Zawraa SC defeated FC Goa 2-1 in their AFC Champions League Two 2025-26 Group D fixture at the Al Zawraa Stadium on Wednesday to move a step closer to the knockout stage.
Kadhim Raad and Hasan Abdulkareem’s strikes took the sting off Dhurgham Ismail’s own goal and gave the Iraqi side nine points, six behind already-qualified Al Nassr Club and three clear of third-placed FC Istiklol. India’s Goa suffered a fifth consecutive defeat.
Despite a larger share of the ball, the home side’s attackers seemed unable to get their game together and failed to trouble Goa keeper Hrithik Tiwari, whose backline was on the job every time Al Zawraa threatened for the first half hour.
They would have thought their luck had turned when Ayush Chhetri was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Raad in the 36th minute. Instead, Ibrahim Gbadamosi saw his tame effort strike the left post and roll out of play.
Al Zawraa were not to be denied a second time, however, as Raad snuck in at the far left post two minutes later to connect with Hassan Sayyid’s corner and head home past an out-of-position Tiwari.
Goa drew level six minutes after the break in a most unlikely manner when defender Ismail, under very little pressure, turned the ball into his own net following a set-piece by Borja Herrera.
Tiwari pulled off a superb fingertip save from Nizar Al Rashdan’s 20-yard strike in the 64th minute, but could only watch helplessly a minute later as Abdulkareem cut down the right to the centre and sent a stinging shot that deflected off Goa skipper Sandesh Jhingan’s boot and into the bottom left.
The Goa keeper prevented two sure goals in the closing minutes – palming away another blistering strike from Abdulkareem in the 81st minute and then producing a brilliant save from Al Rashdan’s equally ferocious effort two minutes later.
Al Zawraa will face off against Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr Club on December 24 while Goa play Istiklol of Tajikistan the same day.
AFC Media
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