Rahmatganj advance to finals
Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society dashed all hopes of a rejuvenated Mohammedan Sporting Club making it to the final of the TVS Federation Cup with a single-goal win over the 10-time champions in a semifinal encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
In doing so, Rahmatganj penned a piece of history as this will be the first time that the Old Dhaka outfit will feature in the final of the season’s curtain raising tournament since its inception in 1980.
Uzbekistani forward Turaev Akobir separated the sides with a 16th minute header and the solitary goal proved decisive as Rahmatganj held on to the slender lead to secure a win.
With the Black and Whites eliminated, all six former Federation Cup champions have made their exits from the tournament and so, this year’s Federation Cup will see a new champion crowned on Sunday. The second semifinal, to be played today at the same venue, will feature favourites Bashundhara Kings and newcomers Bangladesh Police.
Rahmatganj succeeded against a spirited Mohammedan side by executing their existing strategy of high-pressing football, just as Mohammedan had done in their last four matches. Syed Golam Jilani’s charges pressed hard from the outset and took the lead from a puzzled Mohammedan in the 16th minute through Akobir, who scored a glancing header off Shahedul Alam cross from the right flank past goalkeeper Suzan Hossain.
Afterwards, it was the Mohammedan show as the Black and Whites did everything right, other than score an equaliser that is, with the charges of English coach Sean Lane failing to crack a solid Rahmatganj backline marshalled by Acpopob Asrarov, Guinean Camara Younoussa, Mahmudul Hasan Kiran and Nahidul Islam Nahid.
The last time Mohammedan played in the Federation Cup final was in 2009.
“Our target was to reach the final with an outright win and we did it,” coach Jilani said. “We know Mohammedan plays pressing football and today our plan was to press harder them in the first 15 minutes and the boys carried out the plan perfectly and we got the result. Then, we tried to defend the lead and the backline executed the plan really well.”
Mohammedan coach Lane was frustrated with the outcome but is still proud of the performance his charges put up.
“Obliviously it is quite disappointing. For the first 15 minutes, we did not turn up. We slept, they scored a goal and then they defended very well. And although we tried to come back in every way, their defence was solid. You can’t win a match at such a level if you sleep for first 15 minutes,” said Lane.
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