Heartbreaking loss for Kurdish club Dalkurd in Swedish league

ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – Kurdish-affiliated football club Dalkurd FF suffered a heartbreaking loss in Sweden’s second-tier Superettan after blowing a two-goal lead against league leaders MjällbyAIF on Sunday.

After a goalless first half, the game sprung into life in the second when Dalkurd scored two goals in 10 minutes.

The Kurdish side was in dreamland when Ahmed Awad scored in the 61st before substitute Kerfala Cissoko doubled the lead in the 71st.

Mjällbywas determined to get back in the game and eventually pulled one back in the 89th minute through Bubacarr Jobe to begin the comeback.

A disastrous stoppage-time double broke Dalkurd fan’s hearts. Jasper Lofgren scored the equalizer before substitute Charbel Georges netted the winner with seconds left.

Dalkurd’s (9-3-9) next league game is against Norrby (8-7-5) on Sept. 1 at 5:30 p.m. Erbil time.

Related Article: Sweden Cup: Kurdish club Dalkurd qualify for group stage with 4-2 win

Based in the Swedish city of Borlänge, Dalkurd was founded on Sept. 26, 2004, by nine Kurdish immigrants as a social project. The club has since built academies in both Sweden and the Kurdistan Region.

The team’s colors are symbolic of Kurdistan, with the Kurdish flag included in the crest on their shirts.

Dalkurd had bull-dozed its way up the ranks of Swedish football since its 2005 introduction in Tier Seven, winning five promotions in its first five seasons.

After a string of poor results in Sweden’s top division, Dalkurd were relegated on the last day of the 2018 season, finishing in 15th place with 24 points (6-6-18).