AL NAJAF, Iraq (Interstat) — Al Najaf SC hosts Amanat Baġdād SC on Thursday, May 7, in an Iraqi League matchup that pits a home side seeking consistency against a visiting team mired in a lengthy winless stretch.

Al Najaf enters the contest on an upswing following a 2-1 home victory over Newroz on April 17, snapping a four-match losing streak. Prior to that, the club had dropped consecutive decisions, including a 3-0 home loss to Al Karma SC and a 3-1 defeat to league leader Al Shorta SC. The result against Newroz marked only the second win in the last nine matches for Al Najaf, whose spring schedule has been marked by narrow defeats; five of their previous seven losses came by a single goal. Manager Taha Abdul Karim will look to build on that momentum, particularly given the club’s success in the recent head-to-head series.

Amanat Baġdād arrives in Najaf after a 2-2 draw with Al Qassim SC on May 2, a result that extended a difficult run of form. The visiting side has not won in seven matches, posting three draws and four losses since a 2-1 victory over Duhok on April 12. Defensive issues have plagued the team during that stretch, with 12 goals conceded across those seven outings. Most concerning was a 4-0 drubbing at Al Mina’a SC on April 21, the heaviest defeat of the season for the Baghdad-based side. Amanat Baġdād has managed only a single clean sheet in league play this year.

The clubs met most recently Oct. 30, when Al Najaf earned a 1-0 home victory. Interstat’s game simulator projects a 1-1 draw.

Following Thursday’s fixture, Al Najaf hosts Erbil on May 11, while Amanat Baġdād travels to Al Karkh SC the same day.