Bangladesh Army FT strengthened their prospects of reaching the Independence Cup quarterfinals as they managed to hold Bangladesh Premier League club Fortis FC to a goalless draw in their final Group C match in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Having held a superior Mohammedan SC to a 2-2 draw in their first meeting, Army leads the table with two points, one more than Fortis and Mohammedan.

Army, who advanced to the quarterfinals of season's curtain-raising tournament in 2021 by leaving behind Mohammedan and Muktijoddha Sangsad, will reach the knockout stage if the Mohammedan-Fortis fixture on Saturday does not conclude in a draw. Otherwise, with all three teams tied on points, goal difference will decide the group winners and runners-up.

In the tournament's last edition in 2022, Army had failed to progress to the qualification round after losing 4-3 in tiebreakers against Bangladesh Navy in the play-off stage. However, under the guidance of Golam Rabbani Choton, they displayed comparatively better show against Fortis who fielded three foreign players.

At the Bashundhara Kings Arena, Choton's charges created better chances to break the deadlock but national discard Shahriar Emon had squandered two while Imtiaz Raihan also wasted one opportunity.

In the day's other match, involving a Group D fixture, Chittagong Abahani came from behind to play out a 1-1 draw against Bangladesh Navy to keep their quarterfinal hopes alive.

The result means that Bashundhara Kings have confirmed their place into the last eight on the back of Saturday's 1-0 win over Navy.

Despite the loss, Navy can seal a quarterfinals berth if Kings hand a big defeat to Ctg Abahani in the group's last match on December 1.