Mohammedan’s bitter-sweet coronation as AFC ticket missed

Mohammedan Sporting Club (MSC), one of the country's most popular teams, celebrated their maiden Bangladesh Premier League title in vibrant fashion at the Shaheed Captain M Mansur Ali Stadium in Dhaka yesterday.

However, their joy was tinged with disappointment over missing out on a spot in the AFC Challenge League -- a continental competition they last appeared in back in 2006.

Since winning the now-defunct Dhaka Premier League in 2002, the Black and Whites have struggled in top-tier football. But this season, they reclaimed their former glory with a long-awaited league triumph.

Under usual circumstances, the BPL champions would qualify for the newly introduced AFC Challenge League, provided they meet AFC club licensing requirements. MSC, however, failed to secure the licence due to not meeting all the criteria.

As a result, either runners-up Abahani or third-placed Bashundhara Kings -- both of whom applied for the licence -- are expected to take the AFC slot. Bangladesh Football Federation is likely to announce the licensed clubs within a few days.

Asked about missing out on the AFC opportunity after 19 years, MSC director and football committee chairman Ghulam Mohammad Alamgir said:

"In the last 15 years, Mohammedan SC could not stay at the top for different reasons, but now we don't have anything to look back on. Still, we believe we can try it [AFC club licensing], and we have to accept it if we can't do it now."

"MSC… always played for the championship, but they had lacked one for the last 22 years. There was a cry from players, officials and fans for not winning the league title, but this time we came out of it. It was possible because of the cordial efforts from the committee members, specifically due to the president [General (retd) Mohammad Abdul Mubeen] and me," he added.

A former MSC player, speaking anonymously, said the club may struggle to retain their title-winning squad next season, as the current board is hesitant to begin preparations ahead of the club's upcoming elections. He also noted that while meeting licensing criteria is manageable, securing sufficient funding to compete in the AFC Challenge League is the real challenge.

Midfielder Alamgir Kabir Rana echoed the sentiment, saying, "Such an opportunity will not come every season for Mohammedan SC and they should have availed the opportunity to regain their image beyond the country."

While the missed AFC chance was a letdown, it didn't dampen the celebratory spirit. The stadium became a gathering place for MSC's former footballers, cricketers, organisers, fans, and journalists.

Captain Souleymane Diabate entered the venue with the champion's trophy, donning a golden T-shirt marked with the title-winning year.