Dhaka – Chattogram Abahani Limited got off to a flying start in the 13-team Independence Cup Football Tournament beating newcomers NoFel Sporting Club by 3-0 goals in Group B opener at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Monday afternoon.In the day’s 2nd match, Dhaka Mohammedan SC played to a goalless draw with Rahmatganj MFS in the evening at the same venue under floodlight.
In the day’s first match, Gambian booter Mamadou Bah struck two in the 19th and 62nd minute while Nigerian Mufta Lawal netted the other goal in the 54th minute for the popular sky-blue team from the port city of Chattogram.
Mamadou Bah opened the floodgate for Abahani in the 19th minute by a bicycle kick from top of the box (1-0) while Mufta Lawal doubled the Abahani margin in the 54th minute by a header off Koushik Barua corner (2-0).
Manadou Bah sealed the fate of the match scoring his 2nd and the third goal for Abahani in the 62nd minute (3-0).
Chattogram Abahani will meet Rahmatganj MFS in their next match on Thursday (Dec 6) at 3pm while NoFel SC will face Dhaka Mohammedan SC on the same day at 5:15 pm.
Thirteen teams, split into four groups, are initially taking part in the meet with three semifinalists of the just concluded Federation Cup — Bashundhara Kings, Sheikh Jamal DC and Sheikh Russel KC– putting together in Group D.
Groupings are: Group A – Saif Sporting Club, Arambagh KS and Team BJMC GroupB – ChattogramAbahani, Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Rahmatganj MFS and Nofel SC Group C – Dhaka Abahani, Brothers Union and MuktijoddhaSangasd KC Group D Sheikh Jamal DC, Sheikh Russel KC and Bashundhara Kings.
On completion of Group matches on December 9, two top teams from each of the groups will play inthe quarterfinals on December 11-14, all at 4:30 pm.
The semifinals are scheduled for December 19-20 while the final will be held on December 24, also at 4:30 pm.
The remaining fixture of group matches:
Dec 4 – Team BJMC vs Arambagh KS (5pm) Dec 5 – Muktijoddha Sangsad vs Brothers Union (3pm) Bashundahra Kings vs Sheikh Russel KC (5:15pm) Dec 6 – Rahmatganj MFS vs Chattogram Abahani (3pm) Dhaka Mohammedan vs NoFel SC (5:15pm) Dec 7 – Arambagh KS vs Saif SC (5pm) Dec 8 – Sheikh Russel KC vs Sheikh Jamal DC (3pm) Brothers Union vs Dhaka Abahani (5:15 pm) Dec 9 – Rahmatganj MFS vs NoFel SC (3pm) Dhaka Mohammedan vs Chattogram Abahani (5:15 pm) .UNB
