Zang Bazar FC have created history by winning the 6th season of the Chitral Football League in their debut appearance.
The tournament was held in Drosh, Chitral, and featured 15 teams. Six of the participating sides were departmental teams from outside the district. The competition followed a group-stage and knockout format.
Zang Bazar faced a difficult route to the title. They were placed in a group with Pakistan Navy and suffered a 5-2 defeat against them.
However, the team bounced back strongly in the knockout stage. Zang Bazar defeated Chitral’s leading club, HQ Jughoor, on penalties in the quarterfinals.
They then faced Pakistan Army in the semifinals. Once again, Local Football Club held their nerve in the penalty shootout to secure a place in the final.
Zang Bazar Beat Pakistan Navy in Final
The final gave Zang Bazar an opportunity for revenge against Pakistan Navy. The match remained goalless through extra time, forcing another penalty shootout.
Zang Bazar eventually won 4-2 on penalties to lift the Chitral Football League trophy.
The achievement was particularly notable because Zang Bazar did not have players who had represented the Pakistan national team.
Their marquee signing, Umer Sadozai, originally from Azad Jammu and Kashmir, was named Player of the Tournament for his performances throughout the competition.
Historic Victory for Local Chitral Club
The victory marks the first Chitral Football League title won by a local village club from Chitral. Previous editions had been won on two occasions by Chitrali franchises.
The tournament also marked the first reported appearance of a foreign player in a sporting competition in Chitral, with Zang Bazar FC fielding the player during the league.
Zang Bazar received a cash prize of Rs300,000 from the organisers following their victory.
The celebrations continued long after the final, with supporters holding a five-hour cavalcade from Drosh to Chitral Town.
Officials Attend Chitral Football League Final
Lt Col Hassan Abbas and Lt Col Junaid Wasim of the 143 Wing of the Chitral Scouts attended the final as chief guests.
Former Pakistan Football Federation Technical Director Mujahid Tareen was also present at the event.
Other officials included DFA Upper Chitral President Mohsin Lal, District Sports Officer Lower Chitral Muhammad Khalid, DFA Lower Chitral President Hussain Ahmed and DFA Lower Chitral Chairman Bilal Mumtaz.
Bilal Mumtaz also serves as the president of Zang Bazar FC.
Chitrali sports enthusiast Shahzad Hasham-ul-Mulk, Pakistan Mini Football Federation President Malik Hidayat and Pakistan Navy Coach Muhammad Arshad also attended the final.
Zang Bazar President Celebrates Historic Win
Bilal Mumtaz described the victory as an important moment for both the club and Chitral.
“This was a momentous occasion not just for Zang Bazar but for the whole of Chitral. The scenes at the final were more than just electrifying, but unreal. We made a good squad selection and hope more competitive tournaments continue in the future.
Zang Bazar are the reigning District Cup champions and now effectively have been deemed national champions with wins against the country’s biggest teams,” he said.
The Chitral Football League triumph adds another major achievement to Zang Bazar FC’s growing record and gives the local club a landmark title in its debut season.
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