Srinagar, Feb 15: With a 2-1 win over Corbett FC on Tuesday, Downtown Heroes Football Club marched their way into the main round of the 2nd Division I-League, becoming just the third team from Kashmir to make it to this premier tourney.
While the rest of the two teams were nominated by the state for the 2nd Division I-League, Downtown had to fight it out in qualifiers to earn this historic spot.
The club, which has been formed to keep Downtown’s centuries-long legacy alive, hasn’t looked back ever since its inception. The success has come largely because of the constant support and backing of players by the management.
The Downtown’s entry to the 2nd Division I-League has opened gates for a lot of footballers from Kashmir to play at the highest level.
Irfan Shahmiri, the chairman of Downtown Heroes, while congratulating the team said,“You go anywhere in Kashmir and you’ll see a huge crowd coming to watch football. Kashmir has always loved this beautiful game and we’re proud to be contributing a little to it,”
“I would like to thank each and every person who has helped us in this journey. This is just the beginning for us. We will keep trying to make it bigger,”
Kaiser Ahmad, the Vice Chairman of Downtown Heroes, echoed Irfan’s words, saying, “I’m really proud of our team. We have all been waiting to celebrate this day. But we won’t stop here. The journey has just started, there’s much more to come. We will need support from everyone, especially the football fans of Kashmir,”
Downtown Heroes scripted a 2-1 win over Corbett FC while earlier they had beaten United Chirang by 5-1 in the qualifiers. They will play their last match on 16th February.
