TEARS OF JOY: Abahani goalkeeper Sohel (C) weds in glory with hysterical sobbing after his heroics in the shootout while (inset) the victorious Abahani team celebrate with the Super Cup after their 3-2 tiebreak win against Mohammedan at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Photos: Anisur Rahman

Young goalkeeper Shahedul Alam Sohel repeated his semifinal heroics to save two shots from the spot to guide Abahani to a 3-2 tie-break win and the crore taka Grameenphone Super Cup triumph at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. The regulation time of the marquee final against archrivals Mohammedan had ended with the score on 2-2, and thirty minutes of extra time failed to yield any result, leading to the shoot-out which was eventually won by the Sky Blues.
Defender Ashraf Mahmud Linkon slotted the last attempt in with a grounder past Mohammedan's substitute goalkeeper Titumir Chowdhury that won them the coveted trophy, the only cup that was so far missing from the shelves of the Sky Blues. It was also revenge for the Dhanmondi-based club's 1-0 loss at the hands of Mohammedan in the inaugural Super Cup in 2009.
The stage could not have been any bigger; an Abahani-Mohammedan match in the final of a crore taka tournament in front of a 15,000-strong crowd. However, controversial refereeing somewhat marred the spirit in which the match was played, raising questions as to why the organisers did not hire foreign referees like in the first edition of the money-spinning tournament.
Much was at stake for both clubs. For holders Mohammedan it was about as much as retaining the coveted title as it was about salvaging the pride that endured some battering over the last couple of years, for reasons on-field and off-field.
For Abahani, it was a mission to avenge their defeat in the final of the first edition of the tournament and to compensate for their poor show in the league this year.
As expected, a match between the two titans could hardly ever pass without some drama and there was plenty of it on show yesterday at the big bowl. Two disallowed goals, tempers flaring here and there and a consequential red card.
Mohammedan, who had been playing good football in this tournament, boosted by the inclusion of a few on-loan players, survived an early onslaught to take a deserved lead in the 22nd minute through Sunday Chizoba. The Nigerian forward, who had slammed a hattrick in the semifinal, was left unmarked to a cross from winger Shariful Islam and the tall Nigerian headed the ball in to give Mohammedan the lead.
Mohammedan then stepped up the attack and found the back of the net again at the half-hour mark.
Once again it was winger Shariful who whipped in a goalbound cross, which was fisted by Sohel. But the ball rebounded off the post and fell to on-load striker Touhidul Alam, who headed it in to make it 2-0.
Despite going two down, Abahani never gave up, finding a way back into the match in the 35th minute when a Twum Frank volley deflected off a Mohammedan defender, wrong-footing the keeper and finding the back of the net.
Abahani thought they found an equaliser in the 40th minute when Frank put the ball at the back of the net after Mohammedan keeper Mohammad Al Hasan lost control over the ball. But referee Hannan Miron disallowed the goal, judging that it was a foul from Frank on the keeper.
However, the turning point of the game was to come next as Al Hasan, in a moment of madness, lashed Frank to the ground in an off-the-ball incident, and was duly given his marching orders.
Mohammedan pulled off striker Touhidul to send on goalkeeper Titumir Chowdhury and adopted a defensive ploy after the resumption, giving Abahani a man advantage and a license to launch attacks. Mohammedan held on to the one-goal advantage till the 75th minute when Frank got things on level terms. Substitute Alfaz Ahmed put in a chip from the left and Frank, receiving the ball inside the box, placed it calmly home.
In the meantime there was another goal from Frank that was disallowed due to an offside ruling.
Abahani enjoyed the upper hand for most of the remaining ninety minutes and the added thirty, and launched numerous attacks that were thwarted by the substitute keeper Titumir Chowdhury. Titumir foiled at least three dangerous attempts to keep the Black and Whites in the game, but in the end his heroics came short of that of the young Abahani keeper Sohel.
TEAMS:
Abahani: Shahidul Alam Sohel, Twum Frank, Samad Yussif, Abdullah Al Parvez (Alfaz Ahmed), Pronotosh Kumar Das, Mohammad Robin (Shakawat Hossain Ronny), Mamun Mia, Ashraf Mahmud Linkon, Awudu Ibrahim, Arup Kumar Baidya (Ibnul Siraji) and Cletus Blamo.
Mohammedan: Mohammad Al Hasan, Hasan Al Mamun, Bayeback Fombagne, Abdul Hamid Vasani, Akterujjaman Liton, Tapu Barman (Ramjan Ali Mollah), Niche Francis, Uringmin Amani, Sunday Chizoba, Touhidul Alam (Titumir Chowdhury) and Shariful Islam (Rony Islam).
Yellow cards: Frank, Mamun, Cletus, Ibrahim, Shohel (Abahani), Vasani, Sunday and Bayeback (Mohammedan)
Red cards: Mohammad Al Hasan (Mohammedan)
Referee: Abdul Hannan Miron