Dhaka, April 8: Traditional crowd-pullers Abahani Ltd and Dhaka Mohammedan lock horns in the second semifinal of the Modhumoti Bank Independence Cup Football at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 5:00 pm on Wednesday. 

Abahanis Iranian coach Ali Akbar Pourmoslemi  was ready to fight it out.” Whenever Abahani and Mohammedan plays it draws the attention of football arena, I am hopeful of playing a good brand of football and win the match. In the previous matches Abahani had some problem with my finishing but with the arrival of the Portuguese forward Suares I think the problem is resolved, I am very happy to see Suares score two goals in his debut match. I am confident that Abahani will play the best football and go through the final. There is no room for complacency as we have beaten Sheikh Jamal in the quarterfinal, this is a new match in a new day” said Pourmoslemi.

Abahani ‘s regular custodian Shahidul Alam Sohel  has recovered from the fever and is fit to take the field, midfielder Abdul Baten Majumdar Komol is also fit to play.
 
Mohammedan’s Portuguese coach Jose Rui Capella Batista  was equally confident. “We have included some new players,and the team is on a  better position, Abahani had been playing good football  but I think it will be a competitive and 50-50 match. Midfielder Zongo Ousseni and tall defender Ubom Henry had added new life in Mohammedans attack.
 
 
 
Mohammedans  New-signing Nigerian defender Ubom Henry and midfielder Zongo Ousseni from Burkina Faso are providing new hope to Mohammedan, who have now a solid defense marshaled by towering defenders Henry and Cameroonian Bayback while the inclusion of Zongo made Mohammedan’s midfielder more effective though they still have problem in up front with the local strikers.