Fotris pounce as Kings suffer shock defeat

Title favourites Bashundhara Kings suffered a shock first defeat of the campaign, going down 2-1 to Bangladesh Police in the Bangladesh Football League on Saturday, as Fortis FC closed the gap on the runaway leaders.

Five-time champions Kings conceded the decisive goal in the second minute of stoppage time when Ugandan midfielder Shafiq Kigamu unleashed a superb volley from the edge of the box, leaving goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico with no chance.

The hosts took a third-minute lead at the Shahid Barkat Stadium in Gazipur, with Rabbi Hossain Rahul expertly chipping Zico. Kings, however, hit back in the 32nd minute when Faysal Ahmed Fahim scored on the rebound after Rakib Hossain's initial effort was blocked.

Kigamu's late strike came as a surprise blow for Kings, who had been in fine domestic form, winning five matches and drawing once before Saturday's defeat. Kings remain top of the table with 16 points, while Police moved up to fourth place with 10 points from seven matches.

Fortis FC took full advantage of Kings' slip, thrashing bottom-placed Fakirerpool Young Men's Club 3-0 at the Kings Arena.

The fourth win in seven matches lifted Fortis to 14 points -- just two behind Kings and one ahead of Rahmatganj.

Gambian forward Pa Omar Babou struck twice and set up another for Riaj Sagor as Fortis eased to victory, with goalkeeper Sujan Perera keeping his sixth clean sheet of the campaign.

Matches at all the venues in the seventh round of the BFL started with a minute's silence in memory of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho and a frontline figure of the July uprising, who was laid to rest in Dhaka on Saturday. Photo: BFF

Meanwhile, defending champions Mohammedan were held to a 1-1 draw by Arambagh at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla, slipping to sixth place with eight points. Arambagh, despite recording their second draw along with a win, remained level on five points with bottom-placed Fakirerpool.

Captain Mehedi Hasan Mithu put Mohammedan ahead in the 25th minute but Amir Hakim Bappy scored the equaliser for Arambagh 14 minutes later.

The matches at all three venues started with a minute's silence, observed in memory of Sharif Osman Hadi, spokesperson of Inqilab Moncho and a frontline figure of the July uprising, who was laid to rest in Dhaka yesterday.