Defending champions Bashundhara Kings and Mohammedan Sporting Club advanced to the Independence Cup semifinals after hard-fought victory in the last two quarters yesterday at two different sites.
Kings defeated Bangladesh Army Football Team 2-1 at the Bashundhara Kings Arena, while Mohammedan advanced to the semifinals for the first time in nine years with a nail-biting 1-0 win over Chittagong Abahani at Birshreshtha Shaheed Flight Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj.
At Kings Arena, Kings did not risk fielding a second-string side after being held to a goalless draw by Ctg Abahani in their previous group match, instead fielding a full-strength side, drafting in all four foreign players against the services team, which was playing without any foreign players.
Army, surprise, held off their superior opponents for 35 minutes before Kings’ Uzbek defender Boburbek Yuldashov broke the deadlock with a close-range header off a Miguel Ferreira corner-kick in the 36th minute.
Kings, on the other hand, were unable to break down the Army defence in the first half, but they produced more chances after the interval, despite forwards Dorielton Gomes and Rakib Hossain squandering two decent chances to double the lead.
Army scored against the run of play in the 61st minute, capitalising on a terrible blunder by Kings’ custodian Mehedi Hasan Sraban, who failed to control a back pass from a teammate. Ranjan Sikder stole the ball and cut it back to Shahriar Emon, who scored the equaliser.
Kings didn’t waste any time regaining the advantage, as left-back Saad Uddin raced into the area to supply a cross for an unmarked Dorielton, who tapped in from close range to confirm Kings’ semifinal clash with Abahani.
Meanwhile, Mohammedan, who had not advanced past the quarterfinal round of the Independence Cup since winning it in 2014, surmounted the obstacle to advance to the semifinals against Rahmatganj MFS.
The match in Munshiganj was largely confined to the midfield, with both sides showing a lack of urgency, despite Mohammedan captain Soleymane Diabate wasting an easy chance to break the deadlock before Uzbek midfielder Muzaffarjon Muzaffarov found the back of the Chittagong Abahani net with a brilliant free-kick from 25 yards out six minutes into first-half extra time.