Bashundhara Kings and Sheikh Russell reached the semifinals of the new season's curtain raiser football tournament, the Bashundhara Group Independence Cup 2022, beating opponents in the quarterfinals Friday. In the semifinals Wednesday, Sheikh Russell will play the winners of the Dhaka Abahani and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi match. Dhaka Abahani and Sheikh Jamal will lock horns in the quarterfinal Sunday. In the other semifinal Thursday, Bashundhara King will play the winners of the Muktijoddha Sangsad and Bangladesh Police match. Muktijoddha and Police will face each other in another quarterfinal Sunday. READ: Ind Cup Football: Bashundhara Kings emerge group champions with all win record The final match will be held on Monday at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla. In the day's first quarterfinal, Sheikh Russell beat Chittagong Abahani 1-0 at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj. After a barren first half, Nigerian player Sunday Udoh scored the match-winning goal for Sheikh Russel in the 85th minute (1-0). In the day's other quarterfinal, Bashundhara Kings defeated Dhaka Mohammedan 2-0 at the Birshreshtha Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj. Local forward Rakib Hossain and Kings' Brazilian striker and captain Robson Robinho scored for the winners, one in each half.  

Bangladesh Air Force advanced to the final round of the Independence Cup Football 2022, eliminating Little Friends Club 5-4 in a tie breaker at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj on Saturday. The qualifying round match between two teams was drawn 2-2 goals in the stipulated period. Sumon scored both the goals for Bangladesh Air Force in the 28th and 75th minutes while Rayhan and Yasin scored one each for the Little Friends in the 37th and 66th minutes respectively.  Read more: Independence Cup Football begins Saturday  The remaining qualifying round match between Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Navy will be held on Sunday (November 6) at 2 pm at the Bir Shreshta Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj. The 16-team final round of the meet will be held on November 13 to December 5 at three venues across the country--Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj, Bir Shreshta Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj and Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla. Dhaka Mohammedan SC will play the winners of Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Navy in the inaugural match on November 13 in Munshiganj while Sheikh Russel KC will encounter Fortis Football Club in the other opening day's fixture in Cumilla.       Participating teams are: Group A - Dhaka Mohammedan SC, Sheikh Russel KC, Fortis Football Club. Bangladesh Army/Bangladesh Navy Group B - Bashundhara Kings, Chittagong Abahani, Azampur Football Club and Youngmens' Club Fakirerpool. Group C - Dhaka Abahani Limited, Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, Uttara Football Club and Bangladesh Air Force  Group D - Sheikh Jamal DC,Bangladesh Police FC, Rahmatganj MFS and BFF Elite Football Academy.      

Saif Sporting Club and Bangladesh Army won their respective matches in the season’s curtain raising soccer meet, the Rivera Independence Cup Football ’21, beating their respective opponents at the Bir Shrestha Shahid Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur on Thursday. In the day’s first match, Saif SC beat Muktijoddha SKC 3-2 in the afternoon – although the scoreline possibly flatters the losers. Read: Shakib joins national team ahead of Dhaka Test Fahim scored first for Saif SC in the 17th minute (1-0) , Nasirul widened  margin in the 41st minute to dominated the first half by (2-0) Sajjad scored the 3rd goal for Saif SC in the 81st minute (3-0). Misawa scored both the goals for Saif SC, first in the 87th minute and the 2nd in the stoppage time (90+3) of the match from a penalty (3-2). Sajon of Muktijoddha SKC got marching order after receiving two yellow cards. In the day’s other match, Bangladesh Army shocked Dhaka Mohammedan SC beating them by 2-1 goals Thursday evening. ReadAcademy Cup: B’ Baria Sunrisers to play Bhairab FA in final on Friday:  Ranju put the Army team ahead in the 18th minute (1-0) while Emon doubled the Army margin in the 70th minute (2-0). Rakib scored the face saving goal for the black and whites Mohammedan in the stoppage time (90+6 minute) of the match (2-1).    

The next football season begins with the Independence Cup Football, marking the 50th year of the country’s Independence and the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibar Rahman, that is likely to begin on November 27 at the Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur. Fifteen teams -twelve premier division clubs and three services teams—Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Navy and Bangladesh Air Force—will play in this year’s curtain raiser soccer meet, arranged in place of traditional Federation Cup Football. Read: Pakistan wrap up series beating Bangladesh by eight wickets Independence Cup Football will be followed by Federation Cup Football and Premier League Football. Twelve participating premier league clubs are: Bashundhara Kings, Sheikh Jamal DC, Dhaka Abahani Ltd, Mohammedan SC, Sheikh Russel KC, Saif Sportsing Club, Chattogram Abahani Ltd, Muktijoddha Sangsad KC, Bangladesh Police SC, Uttar Baridhara Club, Rahmatganj MFS, Swadinata KC.