Last season’s runners-up Mohammedan stumbled to a 1-0 defeat against Rahmatganj MFS in Dhaka, while 12-time champions Abahani showcased their dominance in a commanding 3-0 victory over Chittagong Abahani in Cumilla.
Mohammedan Sporting Club finished the season as runners-up in the Bangladesh Premier League for the first time in 14 years after finishing runners-up in two club competitions. Alfaz Ahmed, the man behind the resurgence of the Motijheel outfit, spoke with The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman about the process of rebuilding Mohammedan and many other aspects.
Jahid first-ever goal in top flight became a memorable one.
Bashundhara Kings and their loyal band of travelling fans were ecstatic at the Rafique Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh yesterday as the club added the Federation Cup to the Independence Cup and the Bangladesh Premier League following a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting Club.
Favourites Bashundhara Kings will look to add a new feather to their burgeoning cap when they take on defending champions Mohammedan in the final of the Federation Cup at the Rafique Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh today.
Bangladesh Premier League football champions Bashundhara Kings will take on Mohammedan in the final of the Federation Cup in Mymensingh today, while in Dublin, German champions Bayer Leverkusen will face Atalanta in the grand finale of the UEFA Europa League.
Kings are now aiming to win a treble -- a feat only achieved by Sheikh Russell in the 2012-13 season.
Defending champions Mohammedan came from behind to confirm their final berth in the Federation Cup with a 2-1 win over Bangladesh Police FC in the first semifinal at the Shaheed Birshreshtha Flight Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj on Tuesday.
Hot favourites Bashundhara Kings survived a scare to move into the semifinals of Federation Cup with a 2-0 win over Rahmatganj MFS in the second quarterfinal in Gopalganj on Tuesday.
A second-half brace from Emmanuel Sunday powered defending champions Mohammedan to a 2-1 win over Abahani, thereby clainching the top spot in Group B, on the final match day of group stage of the Federation Cup at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj on Tuesday.
Record 12-time champions Abahani and defending champions Mohammedan secured their quarterfinal spots in the Federation Cup with victories in their Group B matches on Monday.
National forward Faisal Ahmed Fahim scored for the first time this season to guide Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to the quarterfinals of the Federation Cup as they cruised to a 4-1 victory over Rahmatganj MFS in Dhaka today.
Abahani's Brazilian forward Washington Brandao hit season’s first hattrick.
Meanwhile, Rahmatganj MFS came from behind twice to tie 2-2 with Bangladesh Police FC in Munshiganj, after losing 2-1 to the same opponents in the quarterfinals of the recently concluded Independence Cup.
The 34th edition of the tournament will get underway on December 26
Bashundhara Kings midfielder Sheikh Morsalin perhaps felt hard done by after missing out on the preliminary 35-member Bangladesh squad for the upcoming SAFF Championship but the 19-year-old got a surprise call-up to the 30-member squad just ahead of the training camp as players reported to the team management on Sunday.
After playing domestic football for 25 years before calling time on his career in 2013, Alfaz Ahmed remains one of the most recognisable names in Bangladesh football. The former national forward has returned to the spotlight after masterminding Mohammedan's epic triumph against archrivals Abahani in the Federation Cup final on Tuesday. The 49-year-old, who has been with Mohammedan for three seasons, spoke to The Daily Star's Anisur Rahman about the final and other topics. The excerpts are below:
Captain Souleymane Diabate engineered an extraordinary fightback as Mohammedan beat archrivals Abahani 4-2 on penalties following a 4-4 draw in regular and extra time during a topsy-turvy Federation Cup final in Cumilla yesterday to clinch their first title in nine years.
Soon after the presentation ceremony was over following the pulsating Federation Cup final in Cumilla yesterday, Mohammedan captain Souleymane Diabate ran up the stairs with two trophies in his hands --one for the top-scorer and another for the player of the tournament -- and a crest for becoming the most valuable player of the final. He walked into the dressing room, where the Mohammedan players were revelling following a pulsating win over arch-rivals Abahani.
