It's to be an Abahanl versus Mohammedans Dhaka derby tomorrow in the final of the BTC Club Cup charity soccer tournament.

In the second semifinal of the six team tourney yesterday at the Dhaka Stadium local giants Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club shut out the Indian entrants by outplaying Calcutta league champions Mohun Bagan in a thoroughly one-sided affair on a soggy, slippery pitch. The final solitary-goal scoreline didn't quite reflect the total domination of the ninety-minute proceedings by the black-and-whltes who virtually ran all over the famous Calcutta side, enjoying an exaggerated. even unfair share of the exchanges in such an Important fixture.

Centre-forward Imtiaz Ahmed Naquib. who scored five goals in a row against Philippines in the Aslan Group D pre-Olympic qualifiers in Seoul on May 26 last, got the only goal of the match for Mohammedans in the 22nd minute of play.

The goal was a beautiful piece of cake for Mohammedans. The Strapping 17-year-old lad received a ball from stopper Jewel Rana on the right, controlled it nicely, beat off challenges by two flat-footed Bagan defenders and sent a power-packed drive all along the ground that gave Bagan goalie Tanumoy Bose hardly a chance to move (1-0).

An incessant downpour since noon aggravated the already poor ground conditions and at times the puddles of water impeded the course and pace of play. The rain also affected the gates, with a sum of only Taka 2 lakh 39 thousand 210 being taken, much below the four-lakh plus receipts for the previous day's semifinal clash between Abahanl Krtra Chakra and East Bengal Club of Calcutta. Most of the ten thousand-odd crowd that braved the rain yesterday comprised hard-core Mohammedan fans who would watch their team

play, come hell or high water.

If Mohammedans muffed up at least half a dozen chances, most of them from close quarters. Mohun Bagan managed only one positive opening, in the very fourth minute of play. A brilliant header by Debashlsh Misra upon a Sudip Chakravarty chip from the right tested Mohammedan goalie Syed Hasan Kanan who pulled off a spectacular save. That, in all certitude, was the closest Bagan came to scoring.

Mohammedans, relying on fast, sprinting runs along the two flanks, posed an unending series of problems for the slow Bagan defence. Right-winger Mamopn, Inside, right Shabbir. central striker Naguib, ana the young Zakir on the left constantly beat their opponent defenders with their speed and ball skills. But the pick of the

Mohammedan players on the day was midfielder Roxy who tolled ceaselessly. So hard was this long-haired lad trying that perhaps it was his unbounding enthusiasm that earned him a yellow card caution from referee Abdul Aziz for a rather cynical foul on a Bagan player late in the game.

Aziz had earlier cautioned Bagan defender Achintya Belel for a hard tackle on Roxy.

Naquib should have doubled the margin for Mohammedans two minutes after the first goal but his powerful left-footed volley upon a Roxy pass from ten yards sailed Just over the bar.

In the 37th minute Zakir and then Mamoon failed to score from five yards after Naquib had laid on neat centre inside the Bagan box.

Mohammedans survived. a scare in the very second minute after resumption when Kanan fumbled while trying to collect an innocuous cross sent by an overlapping Bagan right back Sharaf All from the corner flag; a melee resulted but thankfully for Mohammedans the experienced Imtiaz Sultan Johnny managed a clearance. That was the only notable Bagan attempt in die entire second half.

Mohammedans fans saw four of their players — Naquib. Shabbir. Zakir and Mamoon miss in turn from a handshaking distance following yet another melee in front of the Bagan goalmouth in the 62nd m*?n*ethe 66th Zakir shot straight to goalie Tanumoy while Mamoon messed up one six minute from time. The tale of Mohammedan misses could go on and on.

It was a most mediocre showing by the Calcutta giants, a fact underlined by the clean shirt and shorts of their skipper and key striker Shishir Ghosh. They were outplayed in almost every department of the game and can proffer litde excuse for a pedestrian performance that disappointed the connoisseurs of the game.

Bagan's exit followed the defeat of another Indian giant East Bengal at the hands of Abahanl Tuesday and the elimination of the third of the Calcutta triumvirate. Calcutta Mohammedan Sporting, who failed to make the semifinals. One doesn't recall 'when all three Calcutta teams fared so badly — and played so poorly — in a tournament either at home or abroad.

The good gain from yesterday's result is that the trophy will not leave our shores, a fact for which both Abahanl and Mohammedans deserve credit.

The final is billed for a 5.00 pm kick off tomorrow with tickets for the galleries costing five taka more from the Taka 20 rates till Wednesday.

TEAMS

MOHAMMEDANS : Kanan. Abul. Kaiser. Jewel. Johnny. Tito. Shabbir. Roxy. Mamoon (Ayaz). Naquib and Zakir.

MOHUN BAGAN : Tanumay. Sharaf All. Achintya Belel. Sujit Dutta. (Debashlsh Sarker), Aniruddha Koley. Debashlsh Misra. Sudip Chatterjee (Kabir Bose). Sattyajit Chatterjee, Uttam Mukharjec, Shishir Ghosh (Capt) and Sudip Chakravarty.