The 2013-14 football season will finally get underway today after a four-month gap with the matches of the Federation Cup final round at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
In the first match, Abahani Limited will face Rahmatganj MFS while last year’s runners-up Sheikh Jamal will take on Uttar Baridhara in the other match of the day.
Besides the ten premier division clubs, two representatives of Bangladesh Championship League Rahmatganj and Bangladesh Police, the winners of November 18 play-off matches, will participate in the tournament.
The top two teams from each of the four groups will move into the quarter-finals and the final match is scheduled to take place on December 6.
Before facing old foes Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited in the last group-D match, Abahani will be looking to take all the three points from their opening match against Rahmatganj.
The Dhanmondi-based outfit had failed to reach the semis in any of the last season’s four competitions, so this time they are eager to achieve something.
‘We had an awful season last year due to our failure to sign any high quality foreign footballers,’ said Satyajit Das Rupu, manager of Abahani, on Wednesday.
‘But this year we have recruited a group of quality foreign players, so we are confident that we will be successful in the upcoming tournaments,’ he added.
Abahani were still to get the International Transfer Certificates of Brazilian playmaker Andre Luis De Souza and Cameroonian midfielder Mbenoun Ekele Patrick from their previous clubs but Rupu was confident that they will get the ITCs before the game begins today.
Abahani, however, will field their other four overseas players as Ghanaian defender Samad Yussisd, striker Osei Morrison, Cameroonian midfielder Thomas Yoko Samnick and newly-recruited Brazilian Luiz Romulo De Castro are ready to play for the side.
Meanwhile, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club, the best side of the season on papers, will start their Group A campaign against promoted Uttar Baridhara at 6:00pm.
Sheikh Jamal failed to grab any silverware last season as they had to be satisfied with the three runners-up trophies. But this year they have built a strong side to go for the glory.
With both local and foreign recruitments, Sheikh Jamal have also signed national team captain Mamunul Islam and talented Haitian playmaker Sony Norde from last season’s treble winners Sheikh Russell Krira Chakra.
The Dhanmondi-based outfit have also captured another Haitian striker Wedson Anselme and Nigerian Emeka Darlington, who have already proved their predatory instincts.
The Bangladesh Football Federation has announced that Amber Group, DBL Group, Pragati Insurance and Aamra Network will be co-sponsors of the 28th edition of Federation Cup. Walton will give the major portion of the sponsorship money as the title sponsor.
-With New Age input