Zakho SC
Zakho Sport Club, also spelled as Zaxo Sport Club (Kurdish: یانا زاخو یا وهرزشی / Yana Zaxo ya Werzişî) is a Sports Club based in Zakho, Iraqi Kurdistan. Zakho SC's biggest rivals are also their neighbours Duhok SC, always producing the most passionate and fierce matches every season, with whom they contest the Bahdinan Derby.
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| Full name | Zakho Sport Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | Sons Of Khabour Kurdish: Kurên Xabîrî Arabic: أبناء الخابـور | |||
| Short name | ZSC | |||
| Founded | 3 June 1987 | |||
| Ground | Zakho International Stadium | |||
| Capacity | 25,000 | |||
| Chairman | Bilind Shafeeq Mohammed | |||
| Sporting director | Taha Zakholi | |||
| Coach | Firas Al-Khatib | |||
| League | Iraqi Premier League Kurdistan Premier League | |||
| 2020–21 | Iraqi Premier League, 9th of 20 Kurdistan Premier League, 1st of 14 Group A | |||
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History
    
Football in Zakho was played unofficially from the early 1920s with many local amateur games as well as school competitions regularly being held in Zakho or nearby districts. This eventually led to the formation of the first ever football team in Zakho in 1948. This was made up of local workers and young men.[1]
Beginnings
    
In 1986 the management team of the Zakho Youth Sporting Center which consisted of president Yousef Dawad Jabo as well as members: Ali Omran,Bashar Rahmallah,Khaled Hussein,Neshan Kerob,Khalat Ramadan and Khwaste Furman came up with the idea of starting Zakho Football Club to replace the Sporting Center or to be a part of it. According to the National Olympic Committee of Iraq one of the requirements for the creation of the club was that there was to be actual participation of the Sporting Center in sports competitions for at least one year before the club could be registered. So the sporting committee set up teams for different age groups and started competing in different Friendly Matches.[1]
Regional Championship
    
In 1986 Zakho competed in a regional tournament in Duhok under the name of Zakho Youth Center against Duhok Police, Duhok Youth Center, Duhok students and Duhok SC. Zakho went on to win the competition after defeating all the participants including Duhok FC on penalties. In addition to the regional tournament that the Sporting Center achieved, they also found success in other sports such as Basketball, Wrestling, Weightlifting and Bodybuilding which improved their establishment bid significantly. Finally on June 3, 1987 the club was officially registered.[1]
Debut season
    
Since the club's inception in 1987 the club did not participate in any competition mandated by the Iraqi FA until 1990 for various reasons. Eventually they participated in the 1990/91 Third Division where they were in the Northern Group alongside At-Ta'mim club, Serwan club, Alkarma and Qurqosh. Each team would play home and away where the winner would go to the final of the 3rd league - the winner of this would be promoted to the Second Division. Zakho would top the group with 15 points but the 1991 uprisings in Iraq led to the cancellation of the remainder of the Iraqi football calendar. Zakho fans everywhere were extremely upset.[1]
1991–92 season
    
The following season saw Zakho to return to sporting activities after head of the Olympic Committee Uday Hussein guaranteed not to interfere with any Northern Iraqi sportsmen. Zakho were once again in the Northern group after being drawn with Duhok SC, Qaraqosh, Al Karama and Tel Afar. Zakho topped the group after 5 wins and 3 draws and qualified to the final round.
In the final round Zakho were to play each of Samawa FC, The Neighborhood and Al Hillah. The format was each team to play each other in a single-legged tie. Zakho won the group with 7 points and were crowned Iraqi Third Division champions and qualified to the second division.[1]
New stadium
    
On June 3, 2015 Zakho FC celebrated the opening of their new stadium, known as Zakho International Stadium with an unofficial friendly against the Iraqi national team. The match was notable as Shwan Jalal made his Iraq debut and kept a clean sheet in a 2-0 victory for Iraq. Despite this, the new stadium has been a success and the club's fans hope there will be bright times ahead for Zakho FC.[2]
Premier League
    
Zakho continued to compete in the Iraqi Premier League. In 2015-16 the club narrowly missed out on progression to the elite league, finishing 5th in their area group just one point behind the final elite league spot.[3]
Zakho now competes in the unified Iraqi Premier League which has eliminated the initial stages based on area for one league containing all clubs. Zakho finished 16th in the 2016-17 season having won twice and drawn 16 times during the seasons 32 games. Zakho lost the other 14 games.
Current squad
    
- As of 9 February 2021
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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Current technical staff
    
| Position | Name | Nationality | 
|---|---|---|
| Coach: | Abdul-Wahab Abu Al-Hail |  | 
| Assistant coach: | Saeed Hussein |  | 
| Fitness coach: | Rodrigo Almeida |  | 
| Goalkeeping coach: | Nabil Awad |  | 
| Team manager: | Taha Abdul Hakeem |  | 
| Team supervisor: | Shvan Abdi |  | 
| Club doctor: | Makram Halabi |  | 
| Reserve team coach: | Khamis Humoud |  | 
| Reserve ass. coach: | Nawzad Ali |  | 
| U-19 Head coach: | Hussein Abdullah Al-Samawi |  | 
| U-16 Manager: | Bahdin Ali |  | 
| U-13 Manager: | Adnan Khairallah |  | 
| Director of football: | Taha Zakholi |  | 
| Administrative Coordinator: | Dr. Sherzad Zakariya |  | 
| Director of public relations: | Dilzhar Adnan |  | 
Updated to match played 28 June 2020
Source: awajelpress.com
Managerial history
    
.svg.png.webp) Khodr Wakohdar (1986–1987) Khodr Wakohdar (1986–1987)
.svg.png.webp) Amir Abdul Aziz (1987–1990) Amir Abdul Aziz (1987–1990)
.svg.png.webp) Pauls Quryaquos (1992–1993) Pauls Quryaquos (1992–1993)
.svg.png.webp) Nori Zainal (1993–1994) Nori Zainal (1993–1994)
.svg.png.webp) Mohammed Ahmed Mulla (1995–1996) Mohammed Ahmed Mulla (1995–1996)
.svg.png.webp) Sadeq Musa (1996–1997) Sadeq Musa (1996–1997)
.svg.png.webp) Ali Hilal (1997–1998) Ali Hilal (1997–1998)
.svg.png.webp) Saleem Mallakh (1998–1999) Saleem Mallakh (1998–1999)
.svg.png.webp) Mohammed Kadhim Mizyad (1999–2000) Mohammed Kadhim Mizyad (1999–2000)
.svg.png.webp) Hadi Mtanesh (2002–2004) Hadi Mtanesh (2002–2004)
.svg.png.webp) Saleem Mallakh (2004–2005) Saleem Mallakh (2004–2005)
.svg.png.webp) Adel Abdul Qader (2005–2006) Adel Abdul Qader (2005–2006)
.svg.png.webp) Tariq Al Hejiya (2006–2007) Tariq Al Hejiya (2006–2007)
 Sabah Abdul Hassan (2007–2008) Sabah Abdul Hassan (2007–2008)
 Adel Abdul Qader (2007) Adel Abdul Qader (2007)
 Talib Fadhel (2007) Talib Fadhel (2007)
 Manaf Shekho (2007) Manaf Shekho (2007)
 Adel Abdul Qader (2008) Adel Abdul Qader (2008)
 Ammori Ahmed (2009–2010) Ammori Ahmed (2009–2010)
 Walid Dhahad (2010) Walid Dhahad (2010)
 Nazar Ashraf (2010) Nazar Ashraf (2010)
 Saadi Toma (2010–2011) Saadi Toma (2010–2011)
 Suleyman Ramadhan (2011) Suleyman Ramadhan (2011)
 Basim Qasim (2011) Basim Qasim (2011)
 Nadhim Shaker (2011–2012) Nadhim Shaker (2011–2012)
 Mohammad Kwid (2012–2014) Mohammad Kwid (2012–2014)
 Ali Hadi (2014–2015) Ali Hadi (2014–2015)
 Ilie Stan (2015) Ilie Stan (2015)
 Marin Ion (2016) Marin Ion (2016)
 Essam Hamad Salem (2016) Essam Hamad Salem (2016)
 Marian Mihail (2016) Marian Mihail (2016)
 Ahmed Wali (2016) Ahmed Wali (2016)
 Dorinel Munteanu (2017) Dorinel Munteanu (2017)
 Hadi Ahmed (2017) Hadi Ahmed (2017)
 Emad Aoda (2017) Emad Aoda (2017)
 Mohammed Yousef (2017) Mohammed Yousef (2017)
 Haidar Obeid Jassim (2017) Haidar Obeid Jassim (2017)
 Salih Radhi (2017–2018) Salih Radhi (2017–2018)
 Haidar Obeid Jassim (2018) Haidar Obeid Jassim (2018)
 Ahmad Kadhim Assad (2019) Ahmad Kadhim Assad (2019)
 Abdul-Hafeedh Arbeesh (2019) Abdul-Hafeedh Arbeesh (2019)
 Ali Hadi (2019–2020) Ali Hadi (2019–2020)
 Ahmad Salah Alwan (2020–2021) Ahmad Salah Alwan (2020–2021)
 Haitham Miteb (2021) Haitham Miteb (2021)
 Sami Bahat (2021) Sami Bahat (2021)
 Abdul-Wahab Abu Al-Hail (2021–) Abdul-Wahab Abu Al-Hail (2021–)
Honours
    
- Iraqi 3rd Division
- Winners (1) : 1991–92
 
- Iraq Division One
- Runners-up (3): 1997–98, 2001–02, 2018–19
 
Regional
    
- Kurdistan Cup
- Winners (2) : 2010–11, 2011–12
 
- Kurdistan Super Cup
- Winners (2) : 2010–11, 2011–12
 
References
    
- "نادي زاخو الرياضي ... ذكرى 29 عاما على التأسيس .. البداية". forum.kooora.com (in Arabic). June 3, 2016.
- "منتخب العراق يسجل فوزا في افتتاح ملعب زاخو". alghadpress.com (in Arabic). June 6, 2015.
- "مدرب زاخو العراقي: الحظ سرق منا بطاقة العبور للأدوار النهائية". kooora.com (in Arabic). April 10, 2016.
External links
    
- Official Zakho SC website
- Club Page on Goalzz
- Profile on soccerway
- Zakho on Kooora forums















