Al-Zawra'a seize top spot after dramatic win over Al-Shorta in Iraqi Stars League
Baghdad (IraqiNews.com) – The Iraqi Stars League witnessed a dramatic power shift at the top as Round 29 unfolded, highlighted by a crucial Baghdad Derby result that has blown the title race wide open.
The week's main event saw second-placed Al-Zawra'a ('Al-Nawaris') claim a massive 1-0 victory over league leaders Al-Shorta ('Al-Qithara') on Tuesday, April 22nd. The decisive goal came from Al-Zawra'a's star Murad Mohammed, whose strike propelled his team to the summit of the league table. Al-Zawra'a now sit on 61 points from 29 games, two points clear of Al-Shorta, who remain on 59 points but crucially have played one less game (28 GP).
This derby result came after both teams secured wins in Round 28. However, Round 29 also saw third-placed Zakho suffer their second consecutive defeat, losing 1-0 away to Newroz, keeping them stalled on 52 points and further adrift of the leading pair. Al-Talaba moved to 48 points (28 GP) after a 0-0 draw with Al-Naft, solidifying 4th place for now, while Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya climbed to 47 points (29 GP) in 5th after a convincing 3-0 win over Al-Najaf. Elsewhere, Naft Al-Basra secured a narrow 1-0 win against Al-Mina'a.
The remaining Round 29 fixtures conclude today (Wednesday, April 23rd), featuring clashes like Al-Hudood vs Al-Karkh and Al-Kahrabaa vs Duhok.
Despite the shift at the top of the table, Al-Shorta's Mohanad Ali 'Mimi' remains the league's leading scorer with 20 goals. With the title race taking another twist and battles intensifying throughout the table, the final rounds of the Iraqi Stars League promise immense excitement.
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