After their successors bagged the season's first major tournament -- the Federation Cup -- on Monday, Mohammedan veterans won the title of the Abdur Rahim-Gafoor Baloch Memorial Futsal competition which marked the launching of football's indoor version in the country yesterday.
And expectedly, Mohammedan's opposition in the final of the daylong tournament were none other than their perennial foes Abahani, who gave up a lead to lose 3-1 to the likes of Kaiser Hamid, Sabbir, Johnny, Kanan, Nurul Haque Manik, Nakib and others.
In the final at the Woodenfloor Gymnasium, Zakir put Abahani ahead but Bakhtiar levelled the score before halftime while a second-half brace by Sabbir sealed the trophy for the black and whites.
Current Abahani coach Amalesh Sen, Aslam, Rupu, Zakir, Iqbal, Ghaus and their former colleagues featured in the sky-blues strip.
Abahani defeated Arambagh 4-1 in the opening match before brushing aside Rahmatganj 8-1 in the semifinals.
On way to the final, Mohammedan eliminated Farashganj 7-0 and the National Sports Council 5-0.
Brothers Union and Bangladesh Sports Writers Association were the other participants in the eight-team event dedicated to two great coaches of the yesteryear, Gafoor Baloch and Abdur Rahim.
The floor proved to be slippery and the heat was at times unbearable, complained the booters who played for the first time in the skill-enhancing type of the game.
The real show, however, begins today with eight B. League clubs from the capital vying for the Citycell Futsal competition.
The tournament will kick off at the same venue with the Abahani-Rahmatganj match at 1pm.
Abahani and Mohammedan, who are top-ranked sides of groups A and B respectively, are expected to use second-string sides with a few big names. Players who have not been used much during the just concluded Federation Cup, will get priority in selection for the 5-a-side competition.
Also, the injured players will be totally rested with the B. League scheduled for a September 13 kick-off.
The 12 group matches will end in three days while the semifinals are slated for September 7.
The final will be held on September 8.
TEAMS
GROUP A: Abahani, Sheikh Russel, Arambagh and Rahmatganj.
GROUP B: Mohammedan, Brothers, Muktijoddha, and Farashganj.