Sudden death for Army

Star-studded Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Krira Shikkha Protisthan (BKSP) set up a predictable final clash in the Victory Day Hockey Tournament when they won two contrasting semifinals at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium yesterday.

While Navy, comprising national players, notched up an easy 4-0 win over Bangladesh Air Force, the second semifinal between Bangladesh Army and BKSP was decided in a sudden death shootout after a pulsating 3-3 draw.

In the nail-biting tie-breaker, national players Sabbir Hossain, Puskhor Khisha Mimo and Milon Hossain of Bangladesh Army converted their shots before Ripon Kumar and Irfanul Haque failed to beat BKSP goalkeeper Biplob Khuzur for a 3-3 stalemate, leaving the country's lone sports institute to covert the fifth and final shot to win the game. But defender Ashraful Islam failed to covert it within the stipulated eight seconds, pushing the match in the sudden death.

In sudden death, Raju Ahmed scored for BKSP, leaving the onus on Army's Sabbir Hossain to convert his shot. It sparked a wild celebration in the BKSP camp. The players were seen using their sticks as guns and mimicking shooting in the sky in a hysterical celebration.

However, the celebration turned into a chaos among the supporters of two teams in the gallery and it needed the intervention of the BHF officials to bring things back to normal.

The defeat was heartbreaking for Army, who took an eight-minute lead through Milon before Razib Das equalized for BKSP in the 17th minute.

BKSP took a 3-1 lead after the break before Army came back strongly with a brace by Rokonuzzaman, forcing the game into the tie-breaker.