ASCENT CUP - Champions league starts at STM Hall

The seventeenth Ascent Cup kicked off at the STM Hall of Scholastica Uttara Campus.

This is the first time in the seventeen-year history of the Soccer Tournament that two leagues were introduced, the Premier League for the Veteran Corporate Teams and the Championship League for newer teams to play. 

The format was a resounding success from the start! New teams came to the field full of confidence, energy, and spirit for Football, and each of the eight games was exciting and thrilling, to say the least.

Going straight to the first game, iFarmer played Antopolis Design, the latter a new entry team and the former a second-time returnee to the game. IFarmer knew the turf and the format and put one through the net early in the first half. Antopolis got their foot around the format and held off their opponent to lose one-zero. 

North End Coffee played Optimisely in the second game, both playing last year. Evenly rounded at the kick of play, we noticed what a year of playing Ascent can do to boost confidence and hone in on skills as both teams put up a fight, but the Coffee Roasters were quick on their feet and excelled in the pass-and-play tactics, blasting four stunning goals in the net with Optimizely pulled 1 through in the nick of time by four -one.

Security Company Garda was an eye-opener this year. Having played three times in the Ascent, this team returned this year with all guns blazing against outsourcing company Infotitans. Infotitans, also a four-year returnee to Ascent, were seasoned stalwarts but challenged Garda. This was a tough fight, fighting tooth and nail, but the Infotitans took the shine off the ball with a three- two win. 

Media content wallahs Bongo BD were next against a recharged Incepta Pharmaceuticals team. Bongo's Big Man Ibrahim thrilled the crowd with some spectacular goals, but the Incepta team was nimble on their feet and scored the winning goal, with Bongo losing three-two.

Newcomers Penta Global were perhaps the biggest team with cheerleaders as they made their debut entrance in Ascent, Playing another newbie, IPDC. This was an entertaining team of Corporate Professionals getting used to the ground and the techniques of Ascent five-a-side. Finally, IPDC got one over and won three to two. 

IT expert Selise, a second-time returnee to the game, faced a formidable ACI Pharmaceuticals. ACI, having played a different format of field soccer, was new to the turf. Selise showed some exceptional passes and spectacular goals to win by four-one . We see exceptional promises from these two teams in the future.

Swisscontact, an old-timer of the Ascent Cup, has played the event on and off for many years. They faced a newcomer, Food Panda. The latter, being an underdog, quickly grasped the game and gave their opponents a run for their money with a  four- one win.