The Iraqi champion drew 1-1 with Esteghlal in Group A of the AFC Champions League on Monday.
Serbian Ilic said the result was not bad for his side as Al Shorta hadn't enjoyed a good buildup to the tie.
“We were hoping to win against Esteghlal but the draw is not bad,” said Ilic. “Taking into consideration the preparations that we had, the point will motivate us to aim for better results.”
“I’m happy with the performance of the players who followed the plan that we had,” he added. “They managed to stop the threat of one of the best Iranian teams.”
“We will now forget this match and start preparing for the next tie against Al Wahda, who are a strong team as well,” the Serbian added.
Al Shorta will play UAE side Al Wahda while Esteghlal face Al Ahli next week.