Erbil, Zakho eager to kick-start new Iraqi Premier League football season
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Erbil SC have been crowned Iraqi Premier League champions four times, most recently in the 2011-12 season where they only lost one match. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The Kurdistan Region’s two representatives in the 2019/20 Iraqi Premier League, Erbil Sport Club and Zakho Sport Club, have begun preparations for the new campaign with both eager to start their respective seasons.
The new Iraqi Premier League season began on Wednesday with matches being played between the various clubs located in central and southern Iraq.
Erbil begins their campaign on Thursday against Naft Al-Junoob at the Franso Hariri Stadium in the Kurdistan Region capital while Zakho travels to Basra to play Al-Minaa.
Zakho will be buoyed by their return to the top-flight having finished runners-up in Iraq’s Division One last season. The Kurdish club narrowly missed out on the division title after losing 4-1 on penalties to Al-Qasim.
The last time Zakho were in the Iraqi Premier League during the 2017/18 season, they were relegated, finishing bottom of the table.
Zakho Sport Club footballers during a training sesson on Sept. 17, 2019. (Photo: Facebook/Zakho SC)
Erbil, meanwhile, will be looking to build on their mediocre campaign last season where they finished in 11th place. The club has signed a host of new foreign players and is determined to challenge for the title.
In a press conference earlier this month, Erbil manager Akram Salman said the team’s goal is to compete with their rivals and reclaim its place among Asian football’s elite.
“Last season, our rivals were ahead of us. This campaign, we have bolstered our squad and will prepare for the start of the new season,” Salman told reporters on Sept. 7.
Ugandan footballer Allan Kateregga during a training session for Erbil on Sept. 17, 2019. (Photo: Kurdistan 24)
Allan Kateregga, one of Erbil’s new signings, said his teammates are not going to underestimate their opponents, and are “aware” of the challenge.
“We are preparing for our first game of the league against a good team, I’m sure, we are also aware” of their quality, the Ugandan footballer told Kurdistan 24 after a training session on Tuesday.
“We want to win; we want to start on a high note.”