Iraqi goalkeeping coach Nemat Abbas stated that it is unfair to hold goalkeeper Hamad Al-Maqbali of Al-Ahli Youth solely responsible for his team's 0-1 loss to Al-Jazira in the UAE President's Cup semi-final. 'Football is often harsh in its judgments, where a player can turn from a hero to a villain in an instant, and vice versa,' Abbas told 'Al-Ittihad'. 'We see this in the criticism that Al-Maqbali has faced for the goal that led to Al-Ahli Youth's elimination from the cup.' He added: 'Many midfielders and forwards often waste easy chances, including penalties, before scoring a winning goal, and are praised for saving the team. Meanwhile, a goalkeeper who concedes a goal due to poor positioning or a miscalculation of the ball's path is held entirely responsible for the defeat, even though he had previously saved several dangerous chances and kept his team in the game.' Abbas pointed out that 'the evaluation of goalkeepers should be comprehensive and fair, not based on a single moment,' stressing that 'Al-Maqbali's saves in the match were impactful and deserve praise and support.' He added that 'the technical statistics highlight Al-Maqbali's significant role, as the match saw eight corners for Al-Jazira, and Al-Maqbali saved four decisive shots on target. Additionally, Al-Ahli Youth faced 76 attacks from Al-Jazira, a figure that reflects the immense pressure the goalkeeper endured.' He continued: 'These data call for supporting him and standing by his side.' Abbas also indicated that 'sometimes the assignment of blame is driven more by emotion than by a precise technical assessment.'
