Bashundhara Kings confirmed their semifinal berth of the Independence Cup defeating Bangladesh Army by 2-1 in the quarterfinal match on Monday.
Bashundhara Kings are the last team to joined Rahmatganj MFS, Dhaka Abahani Limited and Mohammedan Sporting Club in the semifinal.
Bashundhara now set their semifinal clash against the Dhaka giants Abahani Limited when in the other semifinal Mohammedan Sporting Club will face Rahmatganj MFS.
Held at the Bashundhra Arena it was a struggling win for the four times Bangladesh Premier League champion Bashundhara Kings against Bangladesh Army when a late goal from Dorielton steered the favourites to seal their place in the semifinal.
Bangladesh Army, who tried to fight evenly throughout 90 minutes game, were successful to halt the star-studded Kings up to the late hour of each half to score goal.
Boburbek led the Kings on 38th minute when Emong made it 1-1 for Army on 61st and after working hard for a long, Doreilton struck the winning goal on 76th minute to ensure the semifinal berth.
However, Bashundhara, who looked not up to the mark in the first half, could threat very rare for the Army men as they failed to break the defence to open any clear scoring chances, as it took 38 minutes to make the breakthrough.
Kings, after a huge struggling could opened the net to take a solitary goal lead in the opening 45 minutes when Boburbek converted a close range header off Miguel’s pinpointed flag kick on 38th (1-0).
Bashundhara Kings, the top favourites among the title contenders looked with more organized and attaking approach in the second half. But a blunder of goal keeper Srabon and defender Gafurab, Army equalized the margin and rest of the time they gave the Kings huge trouble.
Defender Boburbek gave a back pass to keeper Srabon, who also played in the national team and Bashindhara Kings’ starting line-up, in absence of regular custodian Anisur Rahman Zico, failed to reach the ball. Emon of Army team was very sharp to snatch the ball and pushed it into open net (1-1).
After equalizing the margin, Army became defensive and took counter attack strategy as they were success in their tactics to prevent the Kings from scoring goals. Despite most of the second half game they kept Army under tremendous pressure could not increase the tally.
However, when the match was seemingly heading to a draw, Dorielton just gave the Kings a great relief. Dorielton, who scored goals against Odisha FC, Mohun Bagan and Maziya Sports and Recreation Club of Maldives to help Kings to win the matches in the AFC Cup, had a wonderful combination with Rakib and Saad Uddin before a superb finish to score the winning goal on 76th.
In the day’s other semifnal match Mohammedan Sporting Club defeated Chittagong Abahani Limited by a solitary goal at the Bir Sreshtha Fl. Lt. Maitur Rahman Stadium Munshuganj.
