Istiklol Dushanbe

Football Club Istiklol (Tajik: Клуби Футболи Истиқлол, romanized: Klubi futboli «Istiqlol»),(Persian: باشگاه فوتبال استقلال دوشنبه), is a Tajik professional football club based in Dushanbe. They currently compete in the Ligai Olii Tojikiston, the top flight of Tajik football. The club was founded to commemorate the Independence of Tajikistan. Istiklol in Tajik means independence.

History

Early years (2007–2009)

Istiklol Dushanbe was established in November 2007, under the Presidency of Shohruh Saidov. In 2008, Istiklol competed in the Dushanbe Group of the Second Division under the guidance of head coach Kanoat Latifov, winning all 30 league games with a +154 goal difference and winning promotion to the Tajik League.

In 2009, in their debut in the Tajik League, led by new head coach Salohiddin Gafurov, the team finished fourth. The team had some experienced players and some young players mostly from Tajikistan national under-17 football team that won bronze in AFC U-17 Championship 2006 and reached round 16 at 2007 FIFA U-17 World Championship, winning two trophies – the traditional winter-spring tournament Rustam Doltabaev and the Tajik Cup. Dilshod Vasiev scored the club's first Tajik League goal in their 2–0 victory over Ravshan Kulob on 4 April 2009.

2010s

In 2010, under coach Alimzhon Rafikov the team won the Super Cup, the national cup and league. In the first Tajik Super Cup, defeating three-time national champion Vakhsh Qurghonteppa 2–0, following two goals from Dilshod Vasiev in extra time. In the final of the 2010 Tajik Cup, which traditionally takes place on October 5 – the birthday of the country's President Emomali Rahmon, Istiqlol with large score 5–0 defeated FK Khujand.

This page also has a version in other languages :  Истиклол (russian)