Match Report
On paper the standings were lopsided — Diala 17th with 41 points, Karbala 20th with 25, 16 apart. Diala ranked 3rd in the league on five-round form, well above their 17th table position. Per game in the league, Diala were scoring 0.82 and conceding 1.32, Karbala 0.74 and 1.68, against a competition average of 1.13 goals per team per game.
11 games without a win framed Karbala's arrival.
Al-Madina International Stadium, capacity 32,000, hosted the game. It was 0-0 at the break, and the second half added 1 goal for the 1-0 full-time score.
Goal scorers
Diala: Aymen Sfaxi (77')
Key stats
Possession: Diala 51% · Karbala 49% · Total shots: 7-8 · On target: 2-0 · Corners: 6-5