The 2021 Independence Cup is also known as the Riviera Independence Cup 2021 due to sponsorship from Riviera. It was the 12th edition of the Independence Cup, the main domestic annual top-tier club football tournament organized by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF). Fifteen participants competed in this edition of the tournament.
Dhaka Abahani is the defending champion, having defeated the Bashundhara Kings 3–0 in the final of the tournament.
Participating teams The following fifteen teams were contested in the tournament.
Team Appearances Previous best performanceBangladesh Police FC Debut n/aBashundhara Kings Champions (2018)Chittagong Abahani Champions (2016)Dhaka Abahani Champions (1990)Dhaka Mohammedan Champions (1972, 1991, 2014)Muktijoddha Sangsad KC Champions (2005)Rahmatganj MFS Semi-finals (2017-18)Sheikh Russel KC Champions (2013)Sheikh Jamal DC Runners-up (2012–13)Saif Sporting Club Quarter-finals (2018)Swadhinata KS Debutn/aUttar Baridhara Club 2nd Group-stage (2016)Bangladesh Air Force(Invited) Debut n/aBangladesh Army(Invited) 2nd Quarter-final (1991)Bangladesh Navy(Invited) Debut n/a
Venue All matches were held at BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Dhaka BSSS Mostafa Kamal Stadium Capacity: 25,000
Draw The draw ceremony of the tournament was held on 23 November 2021 at 15:00 on the 3rd floor of BFF House, Motijheel, Dhaka, Bangladesh. The fifteen teams were divided into four groups. The top two teams from each group go through the knockout stage.
Group summary
Group AGroup BGroup CGroup DDhaka AbahaniSheikh Jamal DCSaif Sporting ClubBashundhara KingsRahmatganj MFSSheikh Russel KCMuktijoddha Sangsad KCChittagong AbahaniSwadhinata KSUttar Baridhara SCDhaka MohammedanBangladesh Police FCBangladesh Air ForceBangladesh ArmyBangladesh Navy
Round and dates Dates/YearRoundMatch dates27 November 2021 – 18 December 2021Group stages27 November–8 December 2021Quarter-finals10–12 December 2021Semi-finals14 December 2021Final18 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 tablesGroup 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
Group B
Group C
Group D
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
Winners
Statistics Goalscorers
Own goals † Bold Club indicates winner of the match Player Club Opponent Result Date Mehedi Hasan Mithu Bangladesh ArmySaif Sporting Club1–2 Habibur Rahman Bangladesh NavyBashundhara Kings0–6 Mohammad Al-Amin Rahmatganj MFSSwadhinata KS2–3 Tutul Hossain Badsha Dhaka AbahaniRahmatganj MFS1–3 Amredin Sharifi Bangladesh Police FCBangladesh Navy1–1
References