FC Goa eye first win in AFC Champions League Two against Al Zawraa

Al-Zawraa beat FC Goa in their previous clash in the AFC Champions League Two

FC Goa look to get their first points in the 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two group stages when they travel to face Al-Zawraa in their upcoming match on Wednesday, November 26, 2025.

The Gaurs are going to face a stern test against the Iraqi giants and will need to produce a truly special performance to get their first points on the board.

The Stakes

Al-Zawraa

Al-Zawraa have probably realized that getting past the group stages is nearly impossible for them at this point. They’re six points behind Al-Nassr, who can qualify for the knockout rounds with a point in their next game. That is why all Al-Zawraa can do is focus on entertaining their fans with an energetic performance and get a big win over the Indian side.

They will be looking to play better attacking football than their reverse fixture match in Goa, with the Iraqi team looking to be innovative and efficient in their attacking moves.

A big win for Al-Zawraa will definitely please their fans and help them strengthen their hold on the second place in the group, while a draw or loss to FC Goa can be particularly gutting for them.

FC Goa

Manolo Marquez’s side has shown a lot of spirit with their performances, but ultimately lacked the overall quality needed to get any points from their AFC Champions League Two group stages. To do so, the Spaniard will need to be defensively much stronger and compact than they have been in the last few matches so far.

Furthermore, the Spaniard also needs his players to be more courageous in moving forward with the ball, not to guess in the final delivery, and to finish their chances well. If FC Goa can strengthen their defence and be much more clinical in finishing off quick counter-attacks, they can get a positive result.

A win or even a draw for FC Goa could be a huge momentum booster for the players’ self-confidence. However, another crushing loss can cause the frustrations to compound on their form.

Team News

Emad El Nahhas is fortunate to have a fully fit squad available for this upcoming AFC Champions League Two clash.

Manolo Marquez also has all his senior players available for this upcoming game.

Head-to-Head Record

• Matches Played – 1
• FC Goa wins – 0
• Al-Zawraa wins – 1
• Draws – 0

Predicted Lineups

Al-Zawraa (4-2-3-1):

Jalal Hassan (GK), Kadhim Raad, Akam Hashem, Abdallah Nasib, Dhurgham Ismail, Clarence Bitang, Karar Nabeel, Mohammed Qasim, Hasan Abdulkereem, Reziq Bani Hani, Ibrahim Tomiwa.

FC Goa (4-2-3-1):

Hritik Tiwari (GK), Boris Singh, Sandesh Jhingan, Pol Moreno, Aakash Sangwan, David Timor, Borja Herrera, Iker Guarrotxena, Brison Fernandes, Dejan Drazic, Javier Siverio.

Players to Watch

Ibrahim Tomiwa (Al-Zawraa)

Nigerian forward Ibrahim Tomiwa has been performing well for Al-Zawraa in their recent AFC Champions League Two matches, picking up his form for them.

He has scored in their last two successful matches, helping them clinch the win over Istiqlol in the previous game as well. Tomiwa will be determined to maintain his glowing form for the Iraqi giants and be a real thorn for the Gaurs.

He will look to use his clever IQ to get the ball into the danger zones and help with his side’s link-up play in the attack as well. Tomiwa will be determined to confuse the defenders with his movement and receive the ball in the key areas in the final third, as well as being ruthless in finishing off chances to guide his side to another commanding win.

Dejan Drazic (FC Goa)

Dejan Drazic is yet to open his scoring for FC Goa in the AFC Champions League Two group stages, even though it was his goal in the qualifiers that got them to the stages. The Serbian winger has featured in all four matches for the Gaurs so far, and he also provided the assist for Brison Fernandes’ goal against Al-Nassr at the Fatorda Stadium.

However, it’s high time that the versatile forward starts being more decisive with his own final product to be able to guide his side to a prominent result.

Drazic needs to be precise with his final passes to be able to create big chances and also look to get into more goal-scoring positions to enhance Goa’s goal threat. If he can tap into his clinical best against Al-Zawraa, Drazic can be a major difference maker in this upcoming game.

Did you know?

• This will mark the first time FC Goa will play a match in Iraq.
• Al-Zawraa have won the Iraq Stars League 14 times in their history, with the most recent one coming in 2017-18.
• FC Goa are yet to score a goal in any away match in the 2025-26 AFC Champions League two group stages.

When and where to watch Al-Zawraa vs FC Goa in AFC Champions League Two?

The match between FC Goa and Al-Zawraa in the AFC Champions League Two will take place on Wednesday, 26 November 2025.

The game will kick off at 9:30 PM IST. It will be broadcast live on Fancode.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.