The 38,000-capacity Rajshahi Stadium overflowed to accommodate the North-Bengal headquarters fans who witnessed the exciting final of the eight-team meet under floodlights.

Many of the enthusiastic 40,000-plus crowd had to sit on the ground but they were fully entertained, watching enthralling football by the proven giant and the new leviathans although the regulation 90 minutes failed to produce a goal.

The incident packed match also marked two sending-offs just before the end of the regulation time after Abahani's substitute forward Tipu and Russel's Moroccan striker Rachid engaged in a brawl following a foul.

It were Abahani who got the first real chance but Ujjal denied the Sky-Blues when he hit woodwork after 14 minutes.

Russel looked brighter in the remaining of the first half with their Moroccan trio taking control but Adil and Rachid both failed to score from a goalmouth melee in the 20th minute after hard work by local boy Tanveer. Egir Mohammed, the inspiration Russel captain, had only Nizam to beat six minutes later but the Moroccan fired the ball over the lone Abahani keeper.

Abahani could have taken the lead against run of play but Farhad's effort ten minutes before the break was foiled by goalkeeper Biplab.

Both the goalkeepers were working overtime and Nizam pulled off the save of the day when he spectacularly stopped Adil's shot on one-to-one in the 53rd minute.

The Sky-Blues reasserted soon and created ample scoring chances but Parvez twice failed to hit the mark from close range while Farhad's powerful volley in the 65th minute came off the bar and Joy headed the rebound straight to the goalkeeper.

Rachid and Ibrahim's failure to convert easy chances afterwards forced the final into 30 minutes of extra time with both sides down to ten men.

Experience finally prevailed over youthful exuberance when Abahani's Ghanaian striker Ibrahim broke the deadlock six minutes into extra-time. He dribbled past three defenders before drilling in a right-footer past Biplab. Cameroonian midfielder Ndem sealed the victory with a fine left-footed drive inside from the box also after a solo run just three minutes before the final whistle.

Bangladesh Football Federation president SA Sultan distributed trophies after the final.

Red cards: Tipu (Abahani) and Rachid (Russel).

Yellow cards: Ibrahim, Shawkat (Abahani) and Sharif (Russel).

TEAMS
Abahani: Nizam, Obaidur, Pradeep, Shawkat, Lajuk, Ujjal, Joy, Ndem, Parvez, Ibrahim and Farhad (Tipu).

Russel KC: Biplab, Aminul, Deen Mohammed, Pradeep, Mishu (Yusuf), Hanif, Sharif, Tanveer, Egir, Adil (Maruf) and Rachid.