London Bangla A Force for the community…
Muhammad Talha
Inter City Bangla Cup: It was three out of three for London as the Inter City Bangla Cup headed to Maidenbower.
With severe weather warnings and a rain swept day in Crawley – Birmingham, Luton, Kent, Sussex, Essex and London braved the elements to deliver a thrilling match day three programme.
To kick off the third leg of the football veterans League Luton were comprehensively beaten 4-0 by London in the opener with goals from Helal Uddin, two from Saim Hussain and Aktar Hussain securing the three points.
Raqeeb Shamim’s early saves kept London in the game after energetic opening exchanges from Luton. It was left to the organisation of Mamun Uddin and Kamruz Zaman to provide the defensive platform to consolidate match play and provide the platform for London to build and cruise to victory.
In the second game Kent were despatched 4-1 with Helal Uddin and Aktar Hussain firing a brace each. Sherif Ahmed playing as a lone striker was ably supported by playmaker Nasim Ahmed as Saiful Islam in goal remained largely undisturbed. –
In the game of the day London gained revenge on Birmingham for their only defeat of the League campaign so far with two clinical finishes by Helal Uddin and Shah Jewel. Masum Ahmed and Mofojul Ali both played starring roles in the build up to both goals as the experience of Sana Miah stifled opposition attacks to secure an important win.
Full back Helal Uddin’s four goals on the day take him storming to the top of the League goal scoring charts with seven goals.
The Inter City Bangla Cup is a football tournament designed to bring together veteran players from Bangladeshi communities across different cities in the UK. It celebrates the passion for football within the Bangladeshi diaspora, fostering camaraderie, competition, and community spirit. With teams representing cities such as London, Birmingham, Luton, Kent, and Sussex, the tournament offers an opportunity for seasoned players to showcase their skills and keep the love of the sport alive while uniting communities through sport.
Sana Miah from London was pleased with the day’s play, “This was a statement from the team. The conditions were tough, but we showed resilience, experience, and unity. Winning all three games wasn’t just about skill; it was about playing for each other and showing the pride we have for London. Every player gave their all, and this squad has set the standard for what it means to wear the London badge in the Inter City Bangla Cup.”
Highlights from the other fixtures saw a talented Birmingham beat Luton 4-1 courtesy of Hannan Ali, Shokot Ali, Gous Miah, and Kamal Uddin.
Monsur Choudhury scored to secure three points for the Midlanders against Kent whilst the shock result of the day saw Luton beat Kent 3-2 with two goals from Sujel Ahmed and a third from Abdul Hye.
Team London Squad:
Md Raqeeb Shamim – Saiful Islam – Mamun Uddin – Helal Uddin – Sherif Ahmed – Saim Hussain – Kamruz Zaman – Aktar Hussain – Shah Jewel – Sana Miah – Anamul Hoque – Masum Ahmed – Nasim Ahmed – Saad Miah – Mofojul Ali – Head Coach: Emdad Rahman
