DS bow out in the rain and tiebreaker tension

Despite bossing the game from start to finish, The Daily Star (DS) crashed out of the Kool-BSJA Media Cup 2025 in the cruellest of fashions following a 3-2 shootout loss to Dhaka Tribune in the Round of 16 at a rain-soaked Paltan Ground on Thursday.

The weather did its best to turn the pitch into a throwback to village monsoon football -- part paddy field, part waterpark -- forcing officials to trim the game to just eight minutes per half to minimise the chances of injuries.

And as if inspired by nostalgia, the six-a-side contest between two former champions kicked off in utterly theatrical fashion, with Tribune bizarrely hoofing the ball out of danger from the midfield, giving an impression of their modus operandi.

On the other hand, it did not take DS to find their rhythm from the onset. They were denied an early breakthrough after Nabid Yeasin's crisp shot was brilliantly saved by Tribune's goalkeeper.

And soon after, a darting run by Abdullah Al Mehdi ended with a neat finish to give them a well-earned lead. However, a minute later, Tribune's Fazley-Rabbi Moon pounced on a rare mispass from skipper Samama Rahman to draw level.

That equaliser lit the fuse for a match that would spiral into digs and banter, mostly delightful.

In the second half, DS nearly restored their lead when Tribune's defender handled a long-range attempt from Nabid, awarding a penalty. With three goals to his name from the previous match, Nabid stepped up confidently but only to bend it just wide of the far post.

The regular time closed with DS throwing everything forward in search of a winner, well aware that shootouts often favour the team that was second-best during open play. They created a few good chances but luck, time, and the bog-like pitch were all against them.

When the match rolled into tiebreakers, the back-and-forth banter carried on till the very last kick, after which the winning side breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The Daily Star starting six: Ashfaq-ul-Alam Niloy; Samama Rahman, Shabab Chowdhury; Khalid Hossain, Abdullah Al Mehdi, Nabid Yeasin.
Subs: Fahad Mannan, Sabbir Hossain, Samsul Arefin Khan.