‘Underdog’ Mohammedan want to conquer Kings

A rejuvenated Mohammedan SC are looking to draw inspiration from the past before squaring off against favourites Bashundhara Kings in the Independence Cup final at Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj today.

The final will take place at the Fazlul Haque Mani Stadium in Gopalganj at 4:00 pm and will be televised live by T Sports.

Reigning champions Kings, who made it to their fourth consecutive final with a thumping 4-0 win over Abahani, are the favourites against Mohammedan on paper.

But the Motijheel-based outfits are hoping for a repeat of their 2-1 win over the Kings in the Federation Cup semifinal in May and clinch their fourth Independence Cup title in their first final after nine years.

"On paper, Bashundhara Kings are a better side than Mohammedan and we are the underdogs. But mentally we are not underdogs because we beat them in last season's Federation Cup to win the tournament. We believe we have the ability to beat them," Mohammedan SC coach Alfaz Ahmed told The Daily Star over phone yesterday.

In the previous 12 meetings between the two sides, Kings won eight times, lost and drew two times each. 

Star-studded Kings were a shadow of themselves in their first three matches of the Independence Cup before firing at all cylinders against Abahahi in the semifinal in a 4-0 rout.

But Alfaz claims he is not worried about the menacing form of the Kings.

"They [Kings] are best in every department but many things depend on the condition of the match such as how the players perform; how the players read the match; the physical condition of the players on the day. So, we are looking forward to the game," said 

Kings assistant coach Mahbubur Rahman Roxy is optimistic about carrying their form into the final.

"Though we had problems scoring in the domestic circuit, we showed our best against Abahani. The fact that we were eliminated from last season's Federation Cup by Mohammedan will encourage the players in the final," Roxy told the reporters after their final preparation at Kings Arena yesterday's morning.

Kings, who are still reeling from their heartbreak in the AFC Cup's group-stage, will be hoping to revive the team's spirits by lifting the season's first trophy.