Former champions face group of death

The upcoming TVS Federation Cup will feature a group of death as three former champions were placed in the same group at a draw ceremony for the season opening tournament at the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) House yesterday.

10-time champions Mohammedan SC, three-time champions Muktijoddha Sagnsad and one-time champions Sheikh Russel were drawn in Group D alongside the promoted Uttar Baridhara Club.

11-time champions and title holders Abahani and last edition’s runners-up, Bashundhara Kings, were pit in a separate group during the draw, which was held in line with the standings of the last edition of the Bangladesh Premier League.

The league is set to get underway on Wednesday with two group stage matches taking place every day at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

 “You can’t judge any of the groups by only seeing the names of the teams because every match will be tough and hard compared to last season,” Sheikh Russel coach Saiful Bari Titu said. “I don’t want to term our group as a death one rather Group D is a strong one, which is good for me because we get one match more than the others since it’s a four-team group.”

“As our target is to become champions, our aim is to first emerge as group champions,” said Titu, whose side clinched Federation Cup title for the first and last time in 2012.

“We are happy to be placed in this group. We have a good chance to advance to the second round because our youthful squad is very confident of getting out of the group stage,” Mohammedan SC manager Imtiaz Ahmed Nakib, whose side last became champions in 2009.

Meanwhile, the once popular black and whites were made to quit from the group stage of the last two Federation Cups successively, however, this time around they have formed a youthful side with a few quality foreigners following an intervention from former players and officials.

“In Group D, Sheikh Russel are ahead of other teams and we are hoping to finish behind them though we have been lagging behind a bit in training but we are confident of playing well when the tournament gets underway,” said Muktijoddha Sangsad coach Abdul Kaiyum Sentu, whose side last emerged champions in 2004-05 season.

The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarterfinals.