Trophy heads to Maldives

TC Sports Club were crowned champions in the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup following a 4-2 win over Pocheon Citizen FC in tiebreakers after regulation time and extra time ended in a 2-2 stalemate at the MA Aziz Stadium in Chittagong yesterday.

TC Sports' Nepalese goalkeeper Limbu Kiran Kumar was the hero of the evening, stopping two shots from Pocheon players while his side converted all of the four shots they took.

“I was fully confident about Limbu and I have also selected the right footballers, who converted all shots,” TC Sports Club coach Mohammed Nizam. “I am really happy to win the title, which is also the first international trophy for a Maldivian club. It is also the beginning of what the existing committee of the FA [Football Association of Maldives] is working on.”

Hanif Abdullah had given TC Sports a deserved lead in the 17th minute, before Pocheon Citizen turned the game around with strikes from Jang Yong IK and Ji Kyeong Deuk in the 44th and 55th minutes respectively.

Midfielder Azzam Mohamed levelled the score seven minutes from time and took the match into extra time before the game was eventually settled by penalties.

The final lived up to the billing as it was a thrilling affair with both sides playing attacking football and enthralling the 15,000 spectators who had packed the Big Bowl. Although Pocheon Citizen -- a third-tier club from South Korea -- lost the match, the players won the hearts of the spectators with the way they played throughout the tournament.

TC Sports, who have been playing in Maldives' top-tier league from 2015, started off at a brilliant pace and dominated Pocheon Citizen, coming close to breaking the deadlock in the seventh minute of the game. Ibrahim Mahmudee Hussain turned and volleyed from the edge of the box, but the shot crept inches wide of the near post.

However, the Maldivian outfit did not need long to take the lead as defender Hanif Abdullah nodded home an Ibrahim Mahmudee corner in the 14th minute.

After going down, Pocheon responded brilliantly. They kept control of the ball and put huge pressure on the TC Sports backline, which faltered under the pressure and led to the game being levelled by an eye-catching header from Jang Yong IK.

After resumption, Pocheon continued their stranglehold and took the lead in the 55th minute as Maldivian defender Azzam headed into his own net while attempting to clear a corner from Ji Kyeong Deuk. However, Indian referee Santosh Kumar awarded the goal to Deuk.

After falling behind, TC Sports sent on a fresh pair of legs to aid their attack and they made an impact, with substitute striker Ibrahim Yameen missing the target narrowly before Azzam made amends by scoring the equaliser with a powerful drive that took a deflection off a Pocheon player before nestling in the back of the net.

TC Sports almost stole the game four minutes from time, but striker Nafiu Ali failed to beat the goalkeeper in a one-on-one.

Pocheon then had a chance to seal the game 11 minutes into extra-time as Jang Yong IK looked all set to tap home, but Azzam came to the rescue and cleared the ball from the goalline.