A truly outstanding display of spirit and dogged determination landed Mohammedan SC their second Super Cup trophy in three editions, after they overcame star-studded treble-winners Sheikh Russel KC 4-2 in a thrilling penalty shoot-out in the final at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The tournament, which gave the promising local players a platform to showcase their skills in absence of foreign booters, lived up to its billing after producing a final worthy of its name and pomp, thanks to a nerve-racking contest which had its fair share of almost everything a good football match promises. There were excellent goals, attacks and counterattacks, brilliant individual skills, outstanding saves, scuffles and the odd expulsion, and to top it all — the penalty shootout where Mohammedan held their nerve to deal a killer punch to Sheilkh Russel’s bid for a quadruple of titles. Some 10,000 holiday spectators who defied the afternoon drizzle had their money’s worth.
The match had rolled into a shoot-out after Mohammedan’s promising forward Wahed Ahmed cancelled out Zahid Hasan Emily’s 27th -minute strike nine minutes into the second half and the extra thirty minutes failed to produce a decider.
Mohammedan defender Mintu Sheikh walked up to the spot to take the decisive spot kick. He sent the Sheikh Russel goalkeeper Biplob Bhattacharjee the wrong way and punched his right fist in the air as the Black and Whites faithful, starved of such joy for the last four years, burst into raptures.
Both the team’s first shooters had converted their respective spot-kicks before Mohammedan’s veteran defender Rajani Kanta struck straight to the Sheikh Russel goalkeeper. Mohammedan goalkeeper Mamun Khan redeemed his skipper by stopping the next shot from Nahidul Islam. Sabuj Kumar then hit the sidebar to hand back the advantage to Mohammedan, who converted the next three spot kicks to confirm the title, the last one being Mintu’s decider.
Before the match, Mohammedan coach Saiful Bari Titu had promised delivering a memorable match, and his team — a mixture of youth and experience — justified the coach’s words by dominating the proceedings right to the end. Even as the Sheikh Russel players got weary towards the end, the Mohammedan players kept fighting after going down to Emily’s goal, which was a simple tap-in on a cross from Zahid Hossain.
The focus was on Mohammedan winger Mobarak Hossain, who was later adjudged the most value able player of the tournament. But it was his strike partner Wahed Ahmed who hogged the limelight, scoring the equaliser. The newly called-up striker to the national side latched on to a long ball from Tapu Barman before outsmarting defender Uttam Kumar and slotted the ball home after his initial shot was parried back by goalkeeper Biplob.
Sheikh Russel coach Maruful Haque had stated the wet field might be their only obstruction to performing well, but in reality their star cast failed to justify the hype, with key players like Mamunul Islam and Zahid Hossain remaining inactive throughout the game and failing to show their neat build-up play. The Sheikh Russel defence was sloppy in letting in the goal by Wahed. Wahed though received an unnecessary marching order in the second half of extra time, but that hardly foiled the celebrations for Mohammedan.
SHOOT-OUT
Mohammedan 4 (1) – Sheikh Russel 2 (1)
Championship money: Tk. 50,00,000
Runners-up money: Tk. 20,00,000
Player-of-the-final: Mamun Khan (Mohammedan Goalkeeper)
Player-of-the-tournament: Mobarak Hossain (Mohammedan forward)
Coach-of-the-tournament: Saiful Bari (Mohammedan)
TEAMS
SHEIKH RUSSEL KC: Biplob (GK/C); Uttam, Linkon, Nahidul, Mamun Mia; Emu, Mamunul Islam, Mithun, Zahid (Sabuj), Anwar (Emon); Emily.
MOHAMMEDAN SC: Mamun Khan (GK); Mintu, Topu, Rajani (C), Yeasin; Manik, Maruf (Shariful/Iqbal), Shohag; Sohel, Mobarak, Wahed.
Referee: Abdul Hannan Miron.
Yellow card: Emily, Anwar, Zahid (Sk Russel), Maruf, Tapu (Mohammedan)
Red card: Linkon (Sk Russel), Wahed (Mohammedan)
Source: The Daily Star