The Muktijoddha left-back, who gave throw-in a new meaning in domestic football, scored the first goal with his strong pair of hands and then set up the other for Kanchan as Muktijoddha were leading 2-0 by the 15th minute.

The Reds made it 3-0 ten minutes before the break when their Nigerian forward Paul Nwachukwu saw his bending low cross sail into the net, giving Mohammedan custodian Biplab no chance to react.

Muktijoddha's three-goal cushion at the halfway mark opened up the prospect of another humiliation for a crowd-puller just 24 hours after Abahani's embarrassing 4-0 defeat to Brothers Union.

But Korean striker Kim Zeu's consolation goal in the second half spared the black and whites' blushes, who finished runners-up with six points.

Both teams had secured semifinals spots before the match and Muktijoddha ended on maximum nine points with three wins. They however, will miss their playmaker Arman Mia in the semifinal after the midfielder was sent off in the 73rd minute. He was making vehement protests against Mohammedan's goal when referee Abdur Rakib showed him a second yellow card, prompting his marching order.

The match was also a showdown between country's two best goalkeepers and Muktojoddh's Aminul won the bragging rights by a distance over Mohammedan's Biplab, who was all at sea before being taken off by Mohammedan's South Korean coach Man Young Kang after conceding the third goal.

The nervy Biplob was responsible for the first goal when Belal's powerful throw from the right went amazingly through his gloves in the 11th minute.

Belal's goal can be described as a rare incident at any level of football.

Four minutes later, Kanchan received Belal's measured throw from the left and shrugged off his marker Faisal Mahmud before placing home a left-footer.

Biplab was also responsible for the third goal when Paul's decent curling shot from the left flank beat him at the near post.

At the other end goal, skipper Aminul was oozing with confidence, stopping both the chances that fell to Alfaz.

The Mohammedan captain had another chance to reduce the margin ten minutes into the second half but Alfaz's flick on Kim Zeu's centre was brilliantly saved one-handed by Aminul.

Muktijoddha, who attacked rarely after the break, could have made it 4-0 just two minutes later but Biddut's powerful drive from the top of the box was fisted out by Mohammdans substitute custodian Kamal.

Mohammedan's pressure finally paid dividend when Kim Zeu's header on a left-side chip by Faisal slipped through Aminul's grip. The goalkeeper recovered the ball but the referee and his assistant agreed that it had crossed the line, sparking protests from the Reds resulting in bookings for Aminul and Arman.

Mohammedan earned two more chances against the ten-man Muktis but Aminul had the last laugh when he defied long-range efforts by Faisal and Hasan.

In the day's earlier match which had only academic interest in the group, Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra recorded a consolation 1-0 victory against Arambagh Krira Sangha with substitute striker Bulbul slotting the all-important goal in the 64th minute.