Last season's champions Bashundhara Kings and runners-up Mohammedan Sporting Club, two heavyweights in Bangladesh football, are set to face off on Friday in Cumilla (2:30pm, Bangladesh time), marking an early and crucial clash in the Bangladesh Premier League title race.

This is the season's second meeting between the two heavyweights, since the Challenge Cup final two weeks ago, and the 12th league meeting between the two sides, where Kings have won seven times and drawn twice, with Mohammedan winning twice.

The poor condition of Cumilla's Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium was the talking point in the Federation Cup match between Kings and Brothers Union, and the ground is believed to have played a crucial role in deciding the outcome: 1-0 in favour of Kings.

"The ground is a factor in performing well. I think it is going to be a tough game for us against Mohammedan, who are also a good side," said Kings' technical director BA Jubair Nipu.

Kings will take inspiration from their Challenge Cup triumph, where they came from behind to beat Mohammedan 3-1 and lift the season's first trophy.

Mohammedan coach Alfaz said, "We will definitely go there for victory after rectifying the mistakes we made against Kings in the Challenge Cup final."

In the day's other match, Chittagong Abahani will take on Rahmatganj MFS in Mymensingh.