Sports Reporter
L-R: Mohammedan players stretch during their practice session at the BUET ground yesterday. They will meet archrivals Abahani in the Citycell Federation Cup final today at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Abahani players jog during their practice session at the club ground yesterday. The Sky Blues moved into the final drubbing Beanibazar 4-1 on Sunday. PHOTOS: STAR
Mohammedan are tagged as the favourites in the final of the Citycell Federation Cup when the defending champions take on archrivals Abahani in their season's first meeting at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.
The end of last season saw the Taka one-crore Super Cup play host to both teams in the final in front of a packed stadium. And the football fans are again set to get feverish at the big bowl with Bangladesh Television telecasting the Dhaka derby live from the venue at 5:00pm.
Old foes Abahani and Mohammedan, as expected, reached the season's curtain-raising tournament final to fulfill the hopes of the football's governing body and now the onus is on both giants to please the football fans through their performance in the classic showdown, the eighth Federation Cup final clash between two powerhouses.
Star-studded Mohammedan have been quite entertaining in their five outings scoring 22 goals, led by lethal attacking duo Nigerian Alamu Bukola Olaleken and Zahid Hasan Emily, who together have struck 15 goals.
The task of scoring has apparently become easier for both marksmen when they were getting tremendous support from dynamic midfielders like Zahid Hossain, Nigerian Christian Emeka, Mamunul Islam and Arman Aziz.
Coach Maruful Haq also admitted his real strength lies in the midfield and his first target in the final is to enforce the authority in the midfield and then build up the attack against a side they beat 1-0 in the Super Cup final.
“Compared to Abahani's performance in the tournament, Mohammedan are favourites in the final and the players look determined to retain the title through putting up an impressive show,” said Maruf yesterday at the club tent.
Nevertheless, Maruf will try to utilise his coaching sense against Abahani, who are crownless since their last Fed Cup triumph in 2000 as he has more than one match winner in his armory as well as last season's best right-back Wali Faisal, who can be a real threat for Abahani for his relentless crossing overlapping the midfield.
Maruf sounded confident about winning the match and a surprise may be in store for the Black and Whites. Because Abahani are no pushover, winning the prize seven times to the Black and Whites' nine.
“It is true our midfielders are yet to be up to mark, but the backline lead by Rajani Kanta Barman and Ghanaian Samad Yousuf is much stronger and have ability to foil Mohammedan's attempts,” said Abahani coach Amalesh Sen.
But, the good thing for the Abahani midfield, is that they more organised in the semifinals and are getting better with the match providing a battle to control the midfield.
After having served a suspension, the return of Ghanaian striker Awudu Ibrahim will strengthen the Abahani attack, also comprising of national striker Enamul Haq.
Abahani may drop Sheriff Deen Mohammad, a striker from Ghana, in the starting eleven in a bid to ensure a place for Awal, who made his Sky Blues debut in the semifinal and played a key role in Abahani's crucial 4-1 drubbing to Beanibazar SC.
Amalesh plans to restrict Mohammedan trio Emily, Bukola and Emeka while Awudu and Mehdi Hasan Ujjal will be marked by the Mohammedan defenders, which is being marked as the most vulnerable department of the defending champions.
