Federation Cup football will resume today with both the reigning champions Mohammedan Sporting Club and the runners up Abahani Limited will play their respective first matches.
Holders Mohammedan Sporting Club will take on the Port City giants Chittagong Abahani Limited at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium, Gopalganj.
Abahani Limited (Dhaka) will face off Brothers Union at the Bashundhara Kings Arena. Both the matches will be held at 2:45 p.m.
Federation Cup started on December 26 with two matches took place in the opening day when Rahamganj and Bangladesh Police FC of Group A face each other and Bashundhara Kings and Fortis FC of Group B played the day’s other match. After the opening day’s matches the tournament was deferred for 11 days and the season’s second tournament will resume today with two matches of Group B.
Holders Mohammedan Sporting Club are eyeing to a winning start when they are prepared to take on the CTG Abahani. Mohammedan skipper Souleymane Diabate hopes players will give efforts at their level best and are determined to overcome the first hurdle.
The traditional Black and Whites won the Federation Cup in successive two seasons in 2008 and 2009 and regained the title after 11 years in 2023 defeating their arch-rivals Abahani Limited., so they will try their level best to retain the title.
Chittagong Abahni Limited could win the runners up trophy in 2017 and that was their best success in the Federation Cup.
Twelve times champions of the Federation Cup Abahani Limited are also looking forward to a winning start against the Brothers Union, once the third force in the domestic football.
The Sky Blue who won the Federation Cup title in 2021-22, lost to MSC in next season after going down to Mohammedan in tie-breaker (4-2) goals at Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium, Cumilla on May 30, 2023.
Brothers Union, once who were one of the powerhouses in the local football, have almost lost their glory when they were relegated from the Premier League in 2020-21 season. The Gopibagh outfit were the champions of the Federation Cup 19 years back in 2005.