Match Report for the first Communities Champions League Semi-Final between Sparkhill United Youth and Kurdish FC

With both teams only dropping four points in their leagues between them this fixture was set to be a classic and it did not disappoint in a five goal thriller on Sutton Coldfield's home pitch at Coles Lane.

On a cold, showery evening in Sutton Coldfield it was Kurdish FC who started stronger and took their early chances well and raced into a two nil lead. The pace of the attacking four for Kurdish really causing the Sandwell Communities League winners Sparkhill problems. An exquisite volley form the Kurdish center forward being the pick of the goals after some good work down the left hand side and a deep cross to the back post

Sparkhill managed to survive the following moments in the game and started to stamp some authority before the break with Kurdish it seemed stuck between whether they should push forward for the third goal or sit and protect the lead. Kurdish did manage to make it to half time in the lead with most agreeing that they deserved to be leading at the time.

Sparkhill United are notoriously slow starters and rallied well in the second half, asserting their dominance quickly finding themselves camped in the Kurdish half for large parts of the game. Kurdish's inability to hold the ball upfront restricted their defenses ability to push out and squeeze the game to nullify the Sparkhill attack and as the pressure rose Sparkhill pulled a goal back from Umar Jawed. The pressure rose again but Kurdish were still leading in the final minutes of the game as darkness descended on Coles Lane until Khurram Iqbal curled a twenty yard free kick into the top right hand corner, despite the strike being on the goal keepers side there wasn't much he could do to stop it and the game went into extra time.

The game became very stretched in extra-time with both teams growing tired, with Sparkhill seeming to use the rolling substitutions rule more to their advantage, with time going on it seemed there was only going to be one winner until a Kurdish corner was not dealt with by the Sparkhill defence, the ball finding its way to the back post for Kurdish to take the lead in the dying minutes of the second period of extra time.

The full time whistle was met with cheers from the Kurdish players, staff and fans who make the first Communities Champions League Final on Saturday June 6th at the home of the Birmingham County Football Association, for Sparkhill United you cannot help but feel for the players who put in an excellent effort all season and during this epic encounter. The only question now is who will join Kurdish in the final, Athletic Midlands or HES United. Answers due May 12th.

Photos, videos and more from the game can be found on the Birmingham Communities League Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/BIrminghamCommunitiesLeague