Dhaka, March 17: Abahani Limited
beat holders Farashganj Sporting Club 2-0 in the opening match of ATN Bangla Independence Cup Football Final
round at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Sunday. Nigerian hitman Lucky Paul struck
twice in the 46th and 75th minutes respectively to give
four-time professional league champions a winning start. Abahani lost to
Farashganj 2-1 in the penalty shootout last Independence Cup quarterfinal. Paul missed the first opportunity
to give Abahani a lead as he struck the side-net from the right. Again Paul wasted another chance
as his shot went over the crosspiece on a cutback from striker Shakhawat Rony
from the right flank. Farashganj goalie Md. Shahanshah thwarted
an effort from Twum Frank, who saw his powerful shot outside the box punched by
a diving goalkeeper in the 25th minute. However, Paul broke the deadlock one
minute into the second half as he easily tapped in a cutback from midfielder
Abul Baten Komol. (1-0) Abahani came close to doubling the
lead one minute later but Paul rattled the side post. Finally Lucky Paul doubled the
lead in the 75th minute when Twum Frank cross beat goalie Shahanshah
and the unmark Nigerian tapped the ball in. (2-0) Earlier, State Minister for
Liberation War Affairs Capt. A B Tajul Islam (Retd.) inaugurated the final
round as chief guest. BFF Senior Vice President Abdus Salam Murshedy, Adviser
(Programme) of ATN Bangla Nawzis Ali Khan, Senior Deputy Director of R B Group
and Chief of Sports F M Iqbal Bin Anowar and other BFF officials were present
on occasion.
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