A beaming pime minister Sheikh Hasina hailed Bangladesh's return to the good old days of football on Friday as she handed the highest ever prize money to a winning side in the country's sporting history.
Mohammedan SC secured the Tk 1 crore title with a first half goal against arch rival Dhaka Abahani in the Citycell Super Cup showdown, which brought the highest turnout in six years to Bangabandhu National Stadium as the two old foes locked horns.
"It's not important who won or who lost. Football triumphed," the prime minister said at the prize-giving ceremony. "Our football arena is alive again."
"I congratulate the winners Mohammedan. Abahani also played good football," said Hasina, an Abahani fan.
Nigerian striker John Goodwin had earlier scored for the Black and Whites in the 21st minute.
The Sky Blues put up a fight with an all-out attack in the second half, but failed to score as the roars of the capacity crowd filled the stadium up to the final whistle.
The arena was jammed, with several thousand football lovers still hoping to get in, as the match kicked off at 5pm.
Tickets for the much-anticipated final were selling at five times the price on the day as the Super Cup had set the country abuzz with its record prize money.
Seventy year-old Abdur Rahim Miah, who brought his two sons to the match, had to pay the black market price of Tk 150 for a Tk 30 ticket.
