Tuck ends Abahani's title-drought
A first-half strike from English midfielder Lee Tuck helped Abahani to a 1-0 win over Arambagh Krira Shangha in the final of the Walton Federation Cup at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday as the Sky Blues ended their five-year title drought in domestic football.
Lee, who missed the semifinal against Sheikh Russel KC due to injury, featured in the starting eleven ahead of Camara Sarba, and the 27-year old paid back the coach's faith by scoring the decisive goal in the 11th minute. That goal was enough to deny Arambagh a maiden top-flight trophy and enough for the big boys from Dhanmondi to win their ninth Federation Cup title, their first since 2010. The Sky Blues had won the Super Cup in 2011, but remained shorn of success since, their latest brush with glory ended in defeat to Chittagong Abahani in the Independence Cup final last month.
From the outset, Abahani looked confident of exacting revenge for their group-stage defeat against the same opposition, and they put tremendous pressure on the opposition during the first quarter of the game. The Sky Blues saw two chances wasted, one six minutes and the other, 10 minutes before the English forward broke the deadlock.
Having made a cut-back to Nabib Newaj Jibon, Tuck entered the danger zone to control Jibon's forward-pass and curled the ball with his left foot to beat Arambagh goalkeeper Mitul Hasan. Abahani created more chances in the first half but failed to capitalise. Arambagh, who were playing their third Federation Cup final and first since 2001, played comparatively better during the second half, but they too failed to breach Abahani's goal.
Winger Jafar Iqbal frustrated the Motijheel outfit by depositing the ball straight to Abahani goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel from a promising position while Cameroonian midfielder Yoko Samnick wasted two chances despite finding himself in a dangerous position with only the goalkeeper to beat.
“I am happy because of the win but unhappy with the way my players have been performing,” opined Abahani coach George Kottan, who was lofted up in the air by his charges after the victory, bringing back memories of similar scenes when he had guided the Bangladesh national team to SAFF Championship title back in 2003.
“I am proud of my boys because they showed tough mentality throughout the tournament. We could have been happier had we won the trophy, but luck was not with us today [Monday],” said Arambagh KS coach Saiful Bari Titu.
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