Usha Krira Chakra made it to successive final of the Club Cup Hockey Tournament outplaying Mohammedan Sporting Club by 7-5 in tiebreaker after a thrilling 3-3 draw during the regulation 70 minutes time yesterday at the Maulana Bhashani Hockey Stadium.
The defending champions Usha Krira Chakra despite taking an early lead had to struggle much to come from behind to finish the stipulated 70 minutes game on 3-3 while Pushkar Khisha Mimu squared the margin just 10 second before the final whistle.
However, in the thrilling semifinal Mohammedan produced the first opportunity in the sixth minute but Rubel Hossain’s attempt went outside the post closely when Salaman Hossain assisted the ball but four minutes later Usha took the lead through Krishna Kumar.
After, from a PC, Sarwar failed perfectly to push but none of the Mohammedan defenders could clear the ball from danger area and Krishna Kumar sounded board to put Usha into lead on 10th minute (1-0).
Mohammedan bounced back strongly scoring two successive goals with equalising the margin on 31st minute and went ahead on 37th minute.
Pakistani forward Tasawar Abbas scored a beautiful goal to level the margin when he sent the ball into top of the corner of the post with a superb angular hit on a Kamruzzaman Rana cross on 31st (1-1).
Tasawar Abbas gave lead the Black and White with a flick when his compatriot Salman Hossain provided the ball after a solo run on 37th to make the tally (2-1). Shafiq Bin Cholan drew level for Usha four minutes later through a field goal (2-2).
But Mohammedan came back again in the game and regained the lead when Umar Bhatti scored the thriller in 67th minute to make the margin (3-2).
The reigning champions Usha did not give up the challenge and again equalised the margin when Pushkar Khisha Mimu brilliantly touched on a Ismail bin Abu left side cross (3-3).
In the newly introduced shootout rules, Tasawar Abbas and Rezwan Junuior could score while Rana and Umar Bhatti failed to score for Mohammedan.
Afetr missing his hit, Krishna Kumar, Faizal Bin Shari, Nayeem Uddin and Pushkar Mimu scored to lift Usha into final.
Usha will face the winners of today’s second semifinal between Abahani Limited and Dhaka Mariner Young’s Club.