2022–23 Independence Cup (Bangladesh)

2022–23 Independence Cup
Tournament details
Host country	Bangladesh
Dates	13 November–5 December 2022
Teams	16
Venue(s)	3 (in 3 host cities)
Final positions
Champions	Bashundhara Kings (2nd title)
Runners-up	Sheikh Russel KC
Third place	Dhaka Abahani
Fourth place	Bangladesh Police FC
Tournament statistics
Matches played	32
Goals scored	127 (3.97 per match)
Top scorer(s)	9 goals; Dorielton (Bashundhara Kings)
Best player(s)	Rakib Hossain
Best goalkeeper	Anisur Rahman Zico
Fair play award	Dhaka Abahani
	← 2021–22 2023–24 →

The 2022–23 Independence Cup, also known as Bashundhara Group Independence Cup 2022 due to sponsorship from Bashundhara Group. It was the 12th edition of the Independence Cup, the oldest official club football tournament in Bangladesh.^[1] A total of 16 teams were contested in the tournament including two coming through qualifying round.^[2]^[3]

Bashundhara Kings is the defending champion. They have won the title by beating Sheikh Russel KC by 2(4)−2(1) penalties shoot out on 5 December 2022.^[4]

Participating teams

The following sixteen teams will contest in the tournament.

Team	Appearances	Previous best performance
AFC Uttara	1st	Debut
Bangladesh Police FC	2nd	Semi-finals (2021–22)
Bashundhara Kings	3rd	Champions (2018)
BFF Elite Academy	1st	Debut
Chittagong Abahani	7th	Champions (2016)
Abahani Limited Dhaka	12th	Champions (1990,2021–22)
Dhaka Mohammedan	12th	Champions (1972, 1991, 2014)
Fortis FC	1st	Debut
Muktijoddha Sangsad KC	12th	Champions (2005)
Fakirerpool YMC	2nd	Group-stage (2005)
Rahmatganj MFS	12th	Semi-finals (2017-18)
Sheikh Russel KC	8th	Champions (2013)
Sheikh Jamal DC	8th	Runners-up (2012–13)
Uttara FC	1st	Debut
Navy Football Team	2nd	Group-stage (2021–22)
Air Force Football Team	2nd	Group-stage (2021–22)

Venues

The matches are being played at these three venues across the country.^[5]

Comilla	Gopalganj	Munshigonj
Comilla District Stadium	Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani Stadium	Munshigonj District Stadium
Capacity: 18,000	Capacity: 5,000	Capacity: 10,000
Comilla Gopalganj Munshigonj

Draw

The draw ceremony were held on 31 October 2022 at 3rd floor of BFF house Motijheel, Dhaka. There are sixteen team was divided into four groups. Top two team from each group will through in the Knockout stage.^[6]

Group summary

Group A	Group B
Dhaka Mohammedan	AFC Uttara
Fortis FC	Bashundhara Kings
Sheikh Russel KC	Fakirerpool YMC
Bangladesh Navy	Chittagong Abahani
Group C	Group D
Abahani Limited Dhaka	Bangladesh Police FC
Muktijoddha Sangsad KC	BFF Elite Academy
Air Force Football Team	Rahmatganj MFS
Uttara FC	Sheikh Jamal DC

Pair-1	Pair-2
Little Friends Club	Bangladesh Navy
Air Force Football Team	Bangladesh Army

Round and dates

Dates/Year	Round	Match dates
5 November – 5 December 2022	Qualifying stages	05 - 6 November 2022
	Group stages	13 – 24 November 2022
	Quarter-finals	26 – 27 November 2022
	Semi-finals	30 November – 1 December 2022
	Third-position	4 December 2022
	Final	5 December 2022

Match officials

Referees

Md Anisur Rahman Sagor
Anwar Hossain
Bituraj Barua
Md Mizanur Rahman
Md Nasiruddin
Golam Mourshed Chowdhury Nayan
Bhubon Mohon Tarafder
Sabuj Das
Rimon Mahmud

Assistant Referees

Md Nuruzzaman
Md Jahid Hasan
Sheikh Iqbal Alam
Md Alamgir Sarker
Rasel Mahmud
Md Monir Dhali
Md Mahmudul Hasan Mamun
Sujoy Barua
Junayed Sharif
Ahmed Rafsan Joni
Robin Khan
Mehedi Hasan Emon
Shah Alam
Shafiqul Islam Emon
Soumik Pal
Bikash Sarker

Qualifying play-offs

Play-off 1
Team 1	Score	Team 2
Little Friends Club	2–2 (p 4–5)	Air Force Football Team

Play-off 2
Team 1	Score	Team 2
Bangladesh Navy	2–2 (p 4–3)	Bangladesh Army

Matches

All times at local (UTC+6)

5 November 2022

14:00

Bangladesh Air Force FC	2–2	Little Friends Club
Sumon 28', 75'	Report	Rayhan 37' Yeasin 66'
Penalties
	5–4

Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani Stadium, Gopalganj

Referee: Md Anisur Rahman Sagor

6 November 2022

14:00

Bangladesh Navy	2–2	Bangladesh Army
Habibur 36' Raja 75'	Report	Mizanur 27' Morsalin 45+3'
Penalties
	4–3

Munshigonj District Stadium, Munshigonj

Referee: Bituraj Barua

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.

Points in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Goal difference in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
Goals scored in head-to-head matches among tied teams;
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;
Goal difference in all group matches;
Goals scored in all group matches;
Penalty shoot-out if only two teams were tied and they met in the last round of the group;
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);
Drawing of lots.

Group A

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	D	L	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	Sheikh Russel KC	3	2	1	0	6	1	+5	7	Advance to Knockout stage
2	Mohammedan SC	3	2	0	1	5	4	+1	6	Advance to Knockout stage
3	Fortis FC	3	1	1	1	5	5	0	4
4	Bangladesh Navy	3	0	0	3	1	7	−6	0

Source: GSA

13 November 2022