Bashundhara ensure back-to-back finals
Bashundhara Kings made it to their second consecutive final of the TVS Federation Cup after with a 3-0 win against promoted Bangladesh Police FC in the second semifinal at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The defending champions of Premier League will play Sunday’s final against minnows Rahmatganj MFS, who ensured their first-ever final in any tournament of top-flight football by beating Mohammedan in the first semifiinal on Thursday.
Even though Bashundhara Kings had to dig deep to see off Muktijoddha Sangsad in tiebreaker in the quarterfinals, they had it easy against Police, dominating the game right from the beginning on the rain- soaked pitch.
Bashundhara Kings coach Oscar Bruzon started the game without his Lebanese marksman Jalal Kdouh, who had scored two goals in last three matches. The Spaniard pushed winger Daniel Colindres upfront, and the Costa Rican World Cupper set up one goal in the first half before scoring the team’s second goal after the break while Argentinian Nicolas Delmonte wrapped up the victory in stoppage time.
However, it was Bangladesh Police who had the first shot on target, with Antonio Laskov forcing Bashundhara Kings goalkeeper Anisur Rahman to a fine save from a free-kick in the ninth minute.
Bashundhara Kings took the lead in the 17th minute when Khan Mohammad Tara brought down Colindres inside the box, with Tapu Barman converting the spot-kick, giving some 2000 supporters a cause to cheer.
The beaten finalists of last season took full control of the game after the break and created some good chances before Colindres doubled the lead with a powerful shot which brushed the hands of Police goalkeeper Arifuzzaman Himel in the 50th minute.
Five minutes later, Kyrgyz defender Artur Muladzhanov made a goalline save to deny Bashundhara Kings from extending the lead while Tapu saw his header from inside the six-yard box miss the target by a few yards.
Bashundhara Kings wrapped up the victory in the stoppage time, with Delmonte smashing a left-footer into the near post after dancing past three defenders.
“We understood the game from the beginning and the difference was the turf, which was a bit wet and unfit for playing one-touch football. We tried to play in their half and holding Nicolas in between their two foreign forwards and it worked really well,” Bruzon said after the match.
Bangladesh Police coach Nikola Vitorovic felt they gifted all three goals owing to mistakes of defenders.
“It was a tough game for us because I have played the same players with a short period of rest. I had to change my plan due to overnight rain and played long ball which did not suited us. But I’m still proud of our boys because it was a historical moment for Police to play in the Federation Cup semifinal,” the Cypriot coach said.