APL

Seyad Baqir Agha was born in Iran on September 19, 1989. He is the team captain of De Maiwand Atalan,  who surprised RAPL fans as they defeated last year's runner up Simorgh Alborz 3-1 in their opening game of group play. With one win under their belt so far the Maiwand team looks poised to make a strong run at the 2014 RAPL championship.

I invited Sayed to my home for dinner and a conversation to get to know him better. We enjoyed a long talk together over shorwa, a traditional Afghan stew. 

Baqir Agha is from a family of Sayed's, who are direct descendants of The Prophet Muhammed (peace be upon him). He lived in Iran with his family for 18 years and in 2007 he returned to his home province of Helmand. 

Since then, it has been his dream to play for the national team of Afghanistan and help them win a championship for Afghanistan. When asked about the topic, he lowers his head to take a deep breath, looks up again and starts, "I have been invited to practice and travel with the National Team two times and have learned a lot from those experiences. I am confident that I will get a chance to prove myself for my country the next time the coaches call on me." Leading his team the 2014 RAPL championship will help Baqir Agha gain the attention of National Team coaches and perhaps propel him into a starting role. 

For now he is focused on the challenge of helping De Maiwand Atalan win it all this year. "We are taking it one game at a time. Right now we are focused on getting through group play to the semifinals."

Baqir Agha says he's extremely grateful to be a part of RAPL 2014. He quietly admitted to me that the opening ceremony on August 28th was an emotional experience for him. After taking a few moments to clear his throat he says, "I cried. Standing on the field with all my fellow footballers from all over the country and chanting, one nation one voice, made me so happy that I came to tears." 

Considering the conflicts Afghanistan has been through in his lifetime, one can understand Baqir Agha's sentiments. "People in this country want peace and football is the vehicle that is driving Afghanistan in that direction. I want to thank the AFF and RAPL for organizing something that brings so much joy to so many people."

Sayed Baqir Agha will lead De Maiwand Atalan against Toofan Harirod on Thursday September 11 at 4:00 PM. The match will be broadcasted live on TOLO TV, Lemar TV, Arman FM, and Arakozai FM. It will also be viewable on the RAPL YouTube channel ( www.youtube.com/AfghanPremierLeague ).