2021 Independence Cup (Bangladesh)

2021–22 Independence Cup

Tournament details
Host country	Bangladesh
City	Dhaka
Dates	27 November–18 December 2021 [1]
Teams	15
Venue(s)	1 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions	Dhaka Abahani (2nd title)
Runners-up	Bashundhara Kings
Tournament statistics
Matches played	28
Goals scored	75 (2.68 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Dorielton (Dhaka Abahani) (4 goals)
Best player(s)	Raphael Augusto (Dhaka Abahani)
Fair play award	Saif Sporting Club
← 2018 2022–23 →

The 2021 Independence Cup also known as Riviera Independence Cup 2021 due to the sponsorship from Riviera. It was the 12th edition of the Independence Cup, the main domestic annual top tier clubs football tournament organized by Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). The fifteen participants were competed this edition in the tournament. ^{[2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9]}

Dhaka Abahani is the defending champion, having defeated 3–0 goals Bashundhara Kings in the final of the tournament. ^[10]

Participating teams

The following fifteen teams were contested in the tournament. ^[11]

Team	Appearances	Previous best performance
Bangladesh Police FC	Debut	n/a
Bashundhara Kings	2nd	Champions (2018)
Chittagong Abahani	11th	Champions (2016)
Dhaka Abahani	11th	Champions (1990)
Dhaka Mohammedan	11th	Champions (1972, 1991, 2014)
Muktijoddha Sangsad KC	11th	Champions (2005)
Rahmatganj MFS	11th	Semi-finals (2017-18)
Sheikh Russel KC	7th	Champions (2013)
Sheikh Jamal DC	7th	Runners-up (2012–13)
Saif Sporting Club	3rd	Quarter-finals (2018)
Swadhinata KS	Debut	n/a
Uttar Baridhara Club	2nd	Group-stage (2016)
Bangladesh Air Force (Invited)	Debut	n/a
Bangladesh Army (Invited)	2nd	Quarter-final (1991)
Bangladesh Navy (Invited)	Debut	n/a

Venue

All matches was held at BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh. ^{[12] [13]}

Dhaka	Dhaka
BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium
Capacity: 25,000

Draw

The draw ceremony of the tournament was held on 23 November 2021 15:00 at 3rd floors of BFF house Motijheel, Dhaka, Bangladesh. There are fifteen teams were divided into four groups. Top two team's from each group will through Knockout stage. ^[14]

Group summary

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
Dhaka Abahani	Sheikh Jamal DC	Saif Sporting Club	Bashundhara Kings
Rahmatganj MFS	Sheikh Russel KC	Muktijoddha Sangsad KC	Chittagong Abahani
Swadhinata KS	Uttar Baridhara SC	Dhaka Mohammedan	Bangladesh Police FC
	Bangladesh Air Force	Bangladesh Army	Bangladesh Navy

Round and dates

Dates/Year	Round	Match dates
27 November 2021–18 December 2021	Group stages	27 November–8 December 2021
	Quarter-finals	10–12 December 2021
	Semi-finals	14 December 2021
	Final	18 December 2021

Match officials

Referees

• Bitura Barua
• Md Saymoon Hasan Sany
• Md Jalaluddin
• Md Anisur Rahman Sagor
• Md Jasim Akter
• Md Mizanur Rahman
• Md Alamgir Sarkar
• Md Shorab Hossain
• GM Chowdhury Nayan
• Mahmud Zamil Farouqee Nahid

Assistant Referees

• Md Shah Alam
• Sujoy Borua
• Md Nuruzzaman
• Junayed Sharif
• Md Monir Dhali
• Md Mahmudul Hasan Mamun
• Sharifuzzaman Tipu
• Mehedi Hasan Emon
• Md Rasel Mia
• Bayezid Mondol
• Sheikh Iqbal Alam
• Md Khorshed Islam
• Sheikh Farid

Group stages

Key to colours in group tables
	Group winners and runners-up advance to the Knockout-stage

Tiebreakers

Teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss), and if tied on points, the following tie-breaking criteria were applied, in the order given, to determine the rankings.

1. Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
2. Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
3. Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
4. If more than two teams are tied, and after applying all head-to-head criteria above, a subset of teams are still tied, all head-to-head criteria above are reapplied exclusively to this subset of teams;
5. Goal difference in all group matches;
6. Goals scored in all group matches;
7. Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group;
8. Disciplinary points (yellow card = 1 point, red card as a result of two yellow cards = 3 points, direct red card = 3 points, yellow card followed by direct red card = 4 points);
9. Drawing of lots.

All times listed below are local, BST (UTC+06:00).

Group A

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Status
1	Dhaka Abahani	2	2	0	0	5	2	+3	6	Qualified for Knockout stage
2	Swadhinata KS	2	1	0	1	4	4	0	3
3	Rahmatganj MFS	2	0	0	2	3	6	−3	0

Source: Global Sports Archive
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

29 November 2021 (2021-11-29)

17:45

Swadhinata KS	1–2	Dhaka Abahani
Nodir 91'	Report	Royal 29' Raphael 74'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Jasim Akter

---

3 December 2021 (2021-12-03)

17:45

Rahmatganj MFS	2–3	Swadhinata KS
Philip 3' Sanowar 25'	Report	Rafal 16' Nedo 50' Al-Amin 72' (o.g.)

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Alamgir Sarkar

---

7 December 2021 (2021-12-07)

17:45

Dhaka Abahani	3–1	Rahmatganj MFS
Dorielton 17 (pen.)', 50' Raphael 70' (pen.)	Report	Tutul 14' (o.g.)

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Bituraj Barua

Group B

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Status
1	Sheikh Russel KC	3	2	1	0	4	1	+3	7	Qualified for Knockout stage
2	Sheikh Jamal DC	3	1	2	0	4	1	+3	5
3	Uttar Baridhara Club	3	0	2	1	1	2	−1	2
4	Bangladesh Air Force	3	0	1	2	1	6	−5	1

Source: Global Sports Archive
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

27 November 2021 (2021-11-27)

15:30

Sheikh Russel KC	1–0	Uttar Baridhara Club
Mannaf 58'	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Bituraj Barua

27 November 2021 (2021-11-27)

18:00

Sheikh Jamal DC	3–0	Bangladesh Air Force
Otabek 16' Solomon 52' Sohanur 54'	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Saymon Hasan Sany

---

1 December 2021 (2021-12-01)

18:00

Uttar Baridhara Club	0–0	Sheikh Jamal DC
	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: GM Chowdhury Nayon

1 December 2021 (2021-12-01)

20:00

Bangladesh Air Force	0–2	Sheikh Russel KC
	Report	Ailton 8', 25'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Shorab Hossain

---

5 December 2021 (2021-12-05)

16:00

Uttar Baridhara Club	1–1	Bangladesh Air Force
Kochnev 82' (pen.)	Report	Juwel 49'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Shorab Hossain

5 December 2021 (2021-12-05)

18:00

Sheikh Jamal DC	1–1	Sheikh Russel KC
Shahin 26'	Report	Esmaël 28'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Saymoon Hasan Sany

Group C

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Status
1	Saif Sporting Club	3	2	1	0	6	4	+2	7	Qualified for Knockout stage
2	Bangladesh Army	3	1	1	1	4	4	0	4
3	Dhaka Mohammedan	3	1	1	1	4	4	0	4
4	Muktijoddha Sangsad KC	3	0	1	2	4	6	−2	1

Source: Global Sports Archive
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

28 November 2021 (2021-11-28)

16:00

Mohammedan SC	2–1	Muktijoddha Sangsad KC
Diabate 36' Sahed 50'	Report	Tetsuaki 70'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Jalaluddin

28 November 2021 (2021-11-28)

18:00

Saif Sporting Club	2–1	Bangladesh Army
Emeka 49' (pen.) Mithu 80' (o.g.)	Report	Mithu 43' (pen.)

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Anisur Rahman

---

2 December 2021 (2021-12-02)

16:00

Muktijoddha Sangsad KC	2–3	Saif Sporting Club
Tetsuaki 85', 90'	Report	Fahim 17' Nasirul 40' Sazzad 81'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Mizanur Rahman

2 December 2021 (2021-12-02)

18:00

Bangladesh Army	2–1	Mohammedan SC
Ranju 18' Emon 69'	Report	Minhajul 90+5'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Bituraj Barua

---

6 December 2021 (2021-12-06)

16:00

Muktijoddha Sangsad KC	1–1	Bangladesh Army
Shamsaldin 8'	Report	Shamimul 87'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Mizanur Rahman

6 December 2021 (2021-12-06)

18:00

Saif Sporting Club	1–1	Mohammedan SC
Udoh 45'	Report	Rajib 90+1'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: GM Chowdhury Nayon

Group D

Pos	Team	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Status
1	Bashundhara Kings	3	3	0	0	10	0	+10	9	Qualified for Knockout stage
2	Bangladesh Police FC	3	0	2	1	2	3	−1	2
3	Chittagong Abahani	3	0	2	1	2	5	−3	2
4	Bangladesh Navy	3	0	2	1	2	8	−6	2

Source: Global Sports Archive
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers

30 November 2021 (2021-11-30)

16:00

Chittagong Abahani	1–1	Bangladesh Police FC
Peter 58' (pen.)	Report	Denilson 48'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Mizanur Rahman

30 November 2021 (2021-11-30)

19:15

Bashundhara Kings	6–0	Bangladesh Navy
Vranješ 41', 68' Fernandes 43' Eleta 79' Robinho 90+1' Habibur 90+2' (o.g.)	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Alamgir Sarkar

---

4 December 2021 (2021-12-04)

16:00

Bangladesh Police FC	0–1	Bashundhara Kings
	Report	Robinho 16' (pen.)

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Anisur Rahman Sagor

4 December 2021 (2021-12-04)

18:00

Bangladesh Navy	1–1	Chittagong Abahani
Jewel 14'	Report	Yisa 89'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Saimoon Hasan Sany

---

8 December 2021 (2021-12-08)

16:00

Bangladesh Police FC	1–1	Bangladesh Navy
Bablu 51'	Report	Sharifi 72' (o.g.)

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Mahmud Zamil Farouqee Nahid

8 December 2021 (2021-12-08)

18:00

Bashundhara Kings	3–0	Chittagong Abahani
Robinho 22' Ibrahim 83' Motin 88'	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Alamgir Sarkar

Knockout stage

• In the knockout stages, if a match finished goalless at the end of normal playing time, extra time would have been played (two periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, by a penalty shoot-out to determine the winner.

Bracket

	Quarter-finals				Semi-finals				Final
	10 December – Dhaka
	Dhaka Abahani	4
					14 December – Dhaka
	Bangladesh Army	0
					Dhaka Abahani	2
	10 December – Dhaka
					Saif Sporting Club	0
	Saif Sporting Club (a.e.t.)	2
									18 December – Dhaka
	Swadhinata KS	0
									Dhaka Abahani	3
	12 December – Dhaka
									Bashundhara Kings	0
	Sheikh Russel KC	0
					14 December – Dhaka
	Bangladesh Police FC	1
					Bangladesh Police FC	1
	12 December – Dhaka
					Bashundhara Kings (a.e.t.)	2
	Bashundhara Kings	4
	Sheikh Jamal DC	0

Quarter-finals

10 December 2021 (2021-12-10)

17:15

Dhaka Abahani	4–0	Bangladesh Army
Colindres 45', 70' Jibon 67' Emon 76'	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Bituraj Barua

10 December 2021 (2021-12-10)

20:00

Saif Sporting Club	2–0 (a.e.t.)	Swadhinata KS
Maraz 91' Fahim 99'	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Alamgir Sarkar

---

12 December 2021 (2021-12-12)

17:15

Sheikh Russel KC	0–1	Bangladesh Police FC
	Report	Sharifi 4'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Mizanur Rahman

12 December 2021 (2021-12-12)

20:00

Bashundhara Kings	4–0	Sheikh Jamal DC
Motin 58' Fernandes 73', 81' SK Rana 90+4'	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Saimoon Hasan Sany

Semi-finals

14 December 2021 (2021-12-14)

17:15

Dhaka Abahani	2–0	Saif Sporting Club
Colindres 25' Jibon 82'	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Referee: Md Mizanur Rahman

---

14 December 2021 (2021-12-14)

20:00

Bangladesh Police FC	1–2 (a.e.t.)	Bashundhara Kings
Quipapá 8'	Report	Ibrahim 30' Arafat 119'

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Attendance: 11,237

Referee: Md Alamgir Sarkar

Final

18 December 2021 (2021-12-18)

17:30

Dhaka Abahani	3–0	Bashundhara Kings
Rakib 53' Dorielton 63' (pen.), 72'	Report

BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium , Dhaka

Attendance: 20,234

Referee: Md Alamgir Sarkar

Winners

11th Independence Cup (Bangladesh) 2021 Winners
Dhaka Abahani Second Title

Statistics

Goalscorers

There have been 75 goals scored in 28 matches, for an average of 2.68 goals per match.

4 goals

• Dorielton (Dhaka Abahani)

3 goals

• Fernandes (Bashundhara Kings)
• Robinho (Bashundhara Kings)
• Daniel Colindres (Dhaka Abahani)
• Tetsuaki Misawa (Muktijoddha Sangsad KC)

2 goals

• Foysal Ahmed Fahim (Saif Sporting Club)
• Mohammad Ibrahim (Bashundhara Kings)
• Motin Mia (Bashundhara Kings)
• Nabib Newaj Jibon (Dhaka Abahani)
• Ailton Machado (Sheikh Russel KC)
• Raphael Augusto (Dhaka Abahani)
• Stojan Vranješ (Bashundhara Kings)

1 goal

• Amredin Sharifi (Bangladesh Police FC)
• Eleta Kingsley (Bashundhara Kings)
• Emon Mahmud Babu (Dhaka Abahani)
• Jewel Rana (Bangladesh Navy)
• Juwel Miah (Bangladesh Air Force)
• Mannaf Rabbi (Sheikh Russel KC)
• Maraz Hossain Opi (Saif Sporting Club)
• Mehedi Hasan Mithu (Bangladesh Army)
• Mehedi Hasan Royal (Dhaka Abahani)
• Minhajul Abedin Ballu (Dhaka Mohammedan)
• M S Bablu (Bangladesh Police FC)
• Nasirul Islam Nasir (Saif Sporting Club)
• Rajib Hossain (Dhaka Mohammedan)
• Ranju Shikdar (Bangladesh Army)
• Rakib Hossain (Dhaka Abahani)
• Sahed Hossain (Dhaka Mohammedan)
• Sanowar Hossain (Rahmatganj MFS)
• Sazzad Hossain (Saif Sporting Club)
• Shahin Ahammad (Sheikh Jamal DC)
• Shahriar Emon (Bangladesh Army)
• Shamimul Haque (Bangladesh Army)
• Sheikh Alamgir Kabir Rana (Bashundhara Kings)
• Sohanur Rahman (Sheikh Jamal DC)
• Yeasin Arafat (Bashundhara Kings)
• Nedo Turković (Swadhinata KS)
• Danilo Quipapá (Bangladesh Police FC)
• Denilson Rodrigues Roldão (Bangladesh Police FC)
• Ahmed Shamsaldin (Muktijoddha Sangsad KC)
• Solomon King Kanform (Sheikh Jamal DC)
• Philip Adjah (Rahmatganj MFS)
• Esmaël Gonçalves (Sheikh Russel KC)
• Souleymane Diabate (Dhaka Mohammedan)
• Emeka Ogbugh (Saif Sporting Club)
• Kehinde Yisa Anifowoshe (Chittagong Abahani)
• Mfon Udoh (Saif Sporting Club)
• Peter Ebimobowei (Chittagong Abahani)
• Rafał Zaborowski (Swadhinata KS)
• Evgeniy Kochnov (Uttar Baridhara Club)
• Nodir Mavlonov (Swadhinata KS)
• Otabek Valijonov (Sheikh Jamal DC)

Own goals

† Bold Club indicates winner of the match

Player	Club	Opponent	Result	Date
Mehedi Hasan Mithu	Bangladesh Army	Saif Sporting Club	1–2	28 November 2021
Habibur Rahman	Bangladesh Navy	Bashundhara Kings	0–6	30 November 2021
Mohammad Al-Amin	Rahmatganj MFS	Swadhinata KS	2–3	3 December 2021
Tutul Hossain Badsha	Dhaka Abahani	Rahmatganj MFS	1–3	7 December 2021
Amredin Sharifi	Bangladesh Police FC	Bangladesh Navy	1–1	8 December 2021

References

1. "Independence Cup Football kicks off Nov 27". United News of Bangladesh. 29 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
2. "স্বাধীনতা কাপ দিয়ে শুরু হবে ফুটবলের নতুন মৌসুম". Daily Football Bangladesh (in Bengali). 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
3. "নভেম্বরের শেষ সপ্তাহে স্বাধীনতা কাপ". Daily Sports BD (in Bengali). 16 September 2021. Archived from the original on 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
4. "নভেম্বরে শুরু ফুটবলের নতুন মৌসুম". Offside Bangladesh (in Bengali). 16 September 2021. Retrieved 16 September 2021.
5. "স্বাধীনতা কাপ দিয়ে নতুন মৌসুম শুরু হবে ২৭ নভেম্বর". Daily Jagonews24 (in Bengali). 29 September 2021. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
6. "২৭ নভেম্বর থেকে শুরু স্বাধীনতা কাপ". Channel 24 (in Bengali). 29 September 2021. Retrieved 2 October 2021.
7. "স্বাধীনতা কাপ কমলাপুরে, লিগ ৬ ভেন্যুতে". Daily Football Bangladesh (in Bengali). 9 November 2021. Retrieved 11 November 2021.
8. "যে দলগুলো নিয়ে হবে এবারের স্বাধীনতা কাপ ফুটবল". Daily Football Bangladesh. 20 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
9. "যে ১৫ দল নিয়ে স্বাধীনতা কাপ". Daily Protidiner Sangbad (in Bengali). 20 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
10. "Independence Cup football: Abahani champions once more Bashundharas run of titles". United News of Bangladesh. 18 December 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2021.
11. "১৫ দল নিয়ে এবারের স্বাধীনতা কাপ ফুটবল". Daily Jagonews (in Bengali). 20 November 2021. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
12. "স্বাধীনতা কাপের ভেন্যু হিসেবে প্রথম পছন্দ কুমিল্লা". Jagonews24 (in Bengali). 19 October 2021. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
13. "স্বাধীনতা কাপ এবং ফেডারেশন কাপের ভেন্যু চূড়ান্ত". bdfootballlive (in Bengali). 9 November 2021. Archived from the original on November 9, 2021.
14. "স্বাধীনতা কাপের ডেথ গ্রুপে বসুন্ধরা কিংস". Daily Dhaka Post (in Bengali). 23 November 2021. Retrieved 23 November 2021.