Chittagong dances to football's tune

Although it took a bit of time for the people of Chittagong to warm up to the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup, by the time hosts Chittagong Abahani took on East Bengal in the second match of the opening day yesterday, most parts of the MA Aziz Stadium were full to the brim.

The people of the port city, long starved of quality football at their own backyard, turned up for the occasion as an international club football tournament was being hosted here for the first time.

Ashraf Ali, a student of Government Commerce College of Chittagong, came with two of his friends to enjoy the matches.  It was the first time for them to a football match.

“We have never been to the stadium to enjoy a football match before as no international football was held here over the past five years,” said Ashraf, adding, “I have always enjoyed football matches in television, but not from the stadium. So I'm very excited.”

Tamanna Khan, a housewife, came with her two school-going children. She said her children compelled her to come to watch the matches. “My husband works in Dubai. So my sons requested me to bring them here. I feel as excited as my children.”

It was not only the natives of Chittagong who enjoyed the occasion; there was a group of Pakistani students, decked up in the jerseys of their national cricket team, who came to be part of the festivity. Shafiqa, Samia, Sara and ten of their friends, who study in Chittagong's Asian University for Women, came to watch Karachi Eclectic FC's take on Abahani.

“I enjoyed some matches of Karachi Electric FC with my father when we used to live in Karachi,” Sara said, adding, “I hope my home team is capable of winning the title.”  

By the end of the first match, though, it was the home fans who were having the last laugh.