 Despite these difficult circumstances, the team managed to reach fourth place in Iraqi Elite Cup and fourth place in the league in 1998–99 season, and reach the semifinals of the 1999–2000 Iraq FA Cup, where they were came out of the championship after losing from Al-Zawraa, who won the title that season, and in the 2002–03 Iraq FA Cup also reached the semifinals, came out of the championship after losing from Al-Talaba, who won the title that season.With the change that took place after the 2003 invasion of Iraq and the overthrowing of Saddam Hussein, GCPI took care of the club, and started to bring the team back to their natural position slowly, and the 2004–05 season was the distinctive season.Under the leadership of coach Abdul Karim Jassim ("Jombi"), Al-Mina'a won the Southern Group in the First Stage, and advanced to the Elite Stage where they won Group A.