Tournament heats up with Max Secure, Goldkinen and Bando victories

The Ascent Cup delivered another day of thrilling football, marked by high-scoring wins, dramatic comebacks, and some emotional farewells.

Community Bank bowed out of the tournament after a narrow 1–0 loss to Max Secure, bringing an end to their campaign. Despite the defeat, the bankers earned praise for their spirited performances, with veteran captain Arif showcasing his trademark flair.

Securex produced a blistering attacking display against Greendale Delta, as striker Shamim netted a hat-trick in a 5–1 victory that moved them forward. However, their momentum was halted later in the day by NEO Zipper, who claimed a solid 2–0 win to advance further and eliminate Securex from the competition.

At the same time, Laila and InfoTitan played out a fiercely contested 1–1 draw. InfoTitan took the lead. In the dying minutes, Laila's captain Imran equalised to keep his side's hopes alive.

Debutants Apical Industries continued their impressive run, edging past an in-form InfoTitan to progress further. The newcomers are adapting quickly to the hard surface and look increasingly formidable as they progress in the tournament.

Zerocium staged one of the day's most dramatic comebacks, overturning a 3–1 deficit to beat North End, which eliminated the "coffeewalas" and sent Zerocium through to the next round.

GoldKinen stormed into the final with an emphatic 8–1 demolition of iFarmer, earning them the nickname "Gold Kinen" from the crowd and securing their shot at the title.

Apical Industries and Laila played out another intense, goalless clash. Both teams remain in contention, having gained critical points, but neither side secured passage to the next round at this stage.

In a highly anticipated fixture, three-time champions Bando Design edged Sports24 BD 1–0, booking their spot in the semifinals. The tense battle saw Bando score a decisive goal before surviving a penalty scare from their opponents, who were eliminated.

The day ended with Petromax overpowering Elite Force 4–1 to secure their place in the final. Elite Force, promoted to the Premier League this year, impressed throughout the tournament but were eliminated by the experienced Petromax side.