Kings of the Court: Masafi Al-Shamal crowned Iraqi volleyball champions
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – After weeks of intense competition culminating in the 'Golden Square' playoffs held in Kufa and Baghdad, Masafi Al-Shamal have been crowned champions of the 2024-2025 Iraqi Volleyball Premier League! Their journey to the title was reportedly sealed with a crucial victory over Al-Shorta before the final day's play in the second gathering, showcasing their season-long dominance.
Reflecting on their triumph, Masafi Al-Shamal's #15, Omar Ali, told IraqiNews, 'I feel very proud to be part of this amazing team. I am very grateful for the coach, the management, and all of my fellow players; everyone has done an extreme effort and this achievement is the result of months of hard work and dedication.'
While Masafi Al-Shamal had secured the championship, the concluding playoff matches still delivered significant drama for the final placings. Last year's champions, Ghaz Al-Junoob, fought hard to claim the runner-up spot for the season, impressively defeating the new champions Masafi Al-Shamal in their final encounter.
In other crucial final ranking matches, Al-Shorta secured third position despite a concluding loss to a spirited Erbil side, who finished fourth. Throughout the playoffs, individual brilliance shone. In a fiercely contested earlier 'Golden Square' match between Al-Shorta and Masafi Al-Shamal (reportedly a 3-1 win for Masafi that clinched the title early), Al-Shorta's #10, Mohammed Kareem Abdullah, was a standout. He played a 'very competitive match' and led his team to win a set with his exciting play, even though Masafi's overall defense was noted as stronger in that pivotal encounter.
The 2024-2025 Iraqi Volleyball League has now concluded, marking Masafi Al-Shamal as the deserving champions after a season filled with high-level play and thrilling contests.
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