SK Kamal Football: Terengganu emerge as champions

Terengganu Football Club of Malaysia has emerged as the new champions of the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup Football Tournament beating hosts Chattogram Abahani Limited by 2-1 goals in the floodlit final at the MA Aziz Stadium on Thursday.

Midfielder Hairiey Hakim Bin Mamat and defender Azalinullah Bin Md Alias scored one goal each for Terengganu FC while Montenegrin striker Rotkovic Luka scored the lone goal for Chattogram Abahani.

In the match, Chattogram Abahani Ltd got several good chances but spoiled those due to poor finishing.   

In a span of five minutes (9th and 13th minutes), Abahani captain-cum-midfielder Jamal Bhuiyan and striker Rotkovic Luka came close to scoring but failed.

Just three minutes later, Hairiey Hakim Bin Mamat scored first for the visitors by a header from the goalmouth melee, off a corner from captain-cum-midfielder Lee Tuck (1-0).

In the 20th minute, Azalinullah Bin Md Alias widened the margin for the Malaysian club with a placing shot after entering the danger zone from the left wing (2-0).

After the break, Chattogram Abahani reduced the margin when a left footed rocket of Rotkovic Luka kissed the net after hitting the crossbar in the 48th minute (2-1).

Luka got two more chances on the 70th and 81st minutes but failed to convert any.

Jamal Bhuiyan and Md Rockey of Chattogram Abahani Ltd and Terengganu FC Head Coach Md Nafuzi Bin Mahammad Zain and Serhii Adrieiev got yellow cards.

The Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup, a biennial soccer event, was earlier held twice in Chattogram in 2015 and 2017.

Chattogram Abahani Ltd emerged as champions of the first edition of the tournament in 2015 beating East Bengal FC of India by 3-1 goals in the final while TC Sports Club of the Maldives emerged as champions in the second edition in 2017 beating Pocheon Citizen FC of South Korea by 4-2 goals

Chattogram Abahani Ltd organises the tournament in memory of Sheikh Kamal, the eldest son of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Chattogram Abahani Limited: Md Nehal, Jamal Bhuiyan, Rotkovic Luka, Manik Hossan Mollah, Ikbol Jon, Yeasin Arafat, Riyadul Hasan Rafi, Ariful Islam (Kawsar Ali Rabbi-79th), Md Rahmat Mia (Md Rockey-42nd),  Kpehi Jean Charles Didier (Sohel Rana-56th), Chinedu Matthew.

Terengganu Football Club: Lee Tuck, Bruno Suzuki Castanheira (Hafizal Alias-91st), Zuasyraf Bin Zulkiefle, Azalinullah Bin Md Alias (Rahmat Bin Makasuf-73rd), Hairiey Hakim Bin Mamat, Dechi Marcel N'Guessan, Ilham Amirullah Bin Razali, Aqil Irfanuddin, Syafik Bin Ismail, Kamal Azizi Bin Zabri (Engku Md Nur Shakir-77th), Serhii Adrieiev.

Referee: Sudish Kumar Pande (Nepal).