Erbil into top half of Iraqi Premier League with win against Al-Kahraba

Erbil Sports Club climbed to the top half of the Iraqi Premier League table after a late win on Sunday against Al-Kahraba.

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Erbil Sports Club climbed to the top half of the Iraqi Premier League table after a late win on Sunday against Al-Kahraba.

Neither side was able to break the deadlock in the first half at the Taji Stadium in Iraq’s capital of Baghdad.

However, Erbil found a late winner deep into second-half stoppage time through Mohammed Khalid Jaffal to seal all three points.

With eight points from their first five matches, Erbil moves to sixth in the Iraqi Premier League.

Al-Kahraba, meanwhile, is winless and remain in the relegation zone, in 19th place with two points.

Erbil has won 11 of the last 15 meetings with Al-Kahraba, and are unbeaten in their previous seven clashes with the Baghdad club.

Al-Kharaba’s last win against the Kurdish side was a 1-0 victory back in 2010.

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: Erbil SC)
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: Erbil SC)

Erbil earned its first points of the new season on Sept. 14, coming back from 2-0 down against Al-Naft to salvage a 2-2 draw.

One of the league’s most successful football clubs, Erbil withdrew from Iraq’s Premier League during the 2016-17 season due to financial issues.

They have been crowned Iraqi Premier League champions four times, most recently in the 2011-12 season where they only lost one match.

Erbil is also the first club from the Iraqi league to qualify for continental club tournaments. In 2008, they qualified for the Asian Champions League but failed to progress from the group stage.

However, in Asia’s second-tier continental tournament, the AFC Cup, Erbil have finished runners-up on two occasions, in 2012 and 2014.

Erbil’s next match in the Iraqi Premier League is at home to unbeaten side Naft Missan at the Franso Hariri Stadium on Nov. 3.