Both the matches of the 13-team Independence Cup Football' 2023 ended in a draw at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in the capital on Tuesday.
In the day's 2nd match, Bangladesh Navy played to a 1-1 draw with Chittagong Abahani Limited in a Group D match at the floodlight Bashundhara Kings Arena Tuesday evening.
After the day's match, defending champions Bashundhara Kings assured the quarterfinal berth from Group D with one match spare, securing full three points from one match, beating Navy team by 1-0 goal in the first match.
Both the Bangladesh Navy and Chittagong Abahani still in the quarterfinal race from Group D collecting one point each playing two and one match respectively.
However, they have to wait for the outcome of the Ctg Abahani and Bashundhara Kings last group match on December 1 to decide their quarterfinal fate. But the match will be held after a long break of about one month for AFC Cup and FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Defender Selim Reza put the sailors team ahead in the 12th minute (1-0) while medio Hemonta Vincent Biswas leveled the margin for the port city team in the 74th minute (1-1).
Earlier, in the day's first match, Bangladesh Army played to a goalless draw with Fortis Football Club in a Group C match also at the Bashundhara Sports Arena Tuesday afternoon.
After the day's match, Bangladesh Army topped the Group C list securing two points from two matches.
Two other teams of the Group --three times champions Dhaka Mohammedan SC and Fortis FC -- followed the leaders with one point each after playing one match, and will meet each other on Saturday to decide the Group C champions as well as to determine the two quarterfinalists.
Earlier, three teams---former champions Dhaka Abahani Limited, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Bangladesh Police FC-- reached the quarterfinal of the season's curtain raiser soccer meet from their respective groups.
