Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 808 Sun. September 03, 2006  
   
Sports


Both sides confident of win
Dhaka-N'ganj final today


Defending champions Narayanganj take on Dhaka in the final of the Jubok Phone National Football Championship at the Sylhet Stadium today.

Bangladesh Television (BTV) will telecast the final match live from 3:45 pm.

Narayanganj won the tournament last year at Natore when they defeated Bangladesh Army 2-1 in the final. They were also the runners-up in 1996 while their opponents Dhaka are looking to break a 27-year jinx. The last time Dhaka played in the final was way back in 1978 where they had to be contended with the runners-up trophy.

Narayanganj coach Khurshid Alam Nasir and captain Mujibur Rahman Ritu are only eyeing a victory and nothing less.

"Our team does not lack good quality players. In fact we had to let go of some very skillful players, a luxury that other teams did not have in this year's tournament," said Ritu, the only player to score a hattrick during the final round in Sylhet.

"We will try our best to maintain our great footballing tradition and are not prepared to let go of this chance to win the title," added the Narayanganj striker.

Coach Nasir also sounded confident: "We have better prospects of a win. Our strength lies in the middle of the park where the likes of Hanif and Parvez will operate."

He, however, assured that his team will perform better than in the semifinal against Sylhet where they merely scrapped home with a solitary goal.

His opposite number Kamal Babu has worked as an inspiration to his side, according to Dhaka captain Arif.

"He has worked wonders with smaller teams in the past and we believe that it will happen once again," said Arif.

"We must also not forget our luck in getting as far as the final round itself. But now that we have come this far, we must look to leave this holy town with the title with us," added an excited Arif.

"There is little to choose between the two sides but it is high time that Dhaka wins the title," said Dhaka coach Babu.

Meanwhile, Narayanganj will be without Nazrul and Abul who are leaving for Doha on national duty to play the AFC Asian Cup qualifier against Qatar. In their place, Mahiuddin and Dulal will take the pitch in an otherwise strong Narayanganj side which boasts a better bench strength than Dhaka.

Dhaka has an injury worry in Wahid Murad who is unlikely to take his place in the starting line-up if he's not fit to play.