Boateng hattrick lifts Mohammedan

Last season's top-scorer Samuel Boateng struck a hattrick as Mohammedan thrashed promoted PWD Sports Club 4-0 to climb to fourth place in the Bangladesh Football League at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla on Saturday.

Boateng, who netted 21 goals for Rahmatganj last season, scored all three of his goals in the second half -- between the 67th and 82nd minutes -- after Muzaffarov had given the defending champions a 32nd-minute lead from the penalty spot.

The win lifted the Black and Whites to fourth position with seven points, six behind runaway leaders Bashundhara Kings.

While Mohammedan bounced back from a shock defeat against Fakirerpool in the previous round, their archrivals Abahani were held to a frustrating goalless draw by Fortis FC at the Bashundhara Kings Arena.

The dull draw left Abahani, last season's runners-up, in seventh place with five points, while Fortis consolidated third position with eight points.

Boateng (R), chasing a PWD player in this picture, scored a second-half hattrick. Photo: BFF

Meanwhile, Rahmatganj kept the pressure on Bashundhara Kings with a 3-0 victory over Arambagh at the Birshreshtho Flight Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj, courtesy of goals from Solomon King, Abhishek Limbu and Adama Jammeh.

Rahmatganj moved to 10 points, three behind Kings, while Arambagh remained rooted to the bottom with a solitary point.

Elsewhere, captain Isa Faysal saved Police's blushes with an injury-time equaliser against Fakirerpool at the Shaheed Barkat Stadium in Gazipur, cancelling out Aryan Hossain's 32nd-minute opener. Police stayed in sixth place with six points, two spots ahead of Fakirerpool on five.