Mohammedan keep the heat on Kings

Mohammedan Sporting Club registered their second victory of the Bangladesh Premier League to stay hot on the heels of runaway leaders Bashundhara Kings, with both teams running comfortable winners as the league resumed following a 12-day break.

Mohammedan, who won the Federation Cup last season but were beaten by Bashundhara Kings in the final of this season's Independence Cup, bounced back from a draw against Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra with a thumping 5-1 win against Brothers Union at the Muktijuddho Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi yesterday.

It was the second win in two matches for the Black and Whites, who are yet to taste success in the professional football league.

A brace from captain Soleymane Diabate and Sunday Emmanuel and a goal from Mujaffarov saw the Motijheel-based outfit take a 5-0 lead against the promoted side within the 68th minute.

Akmal Hossain Noyon reduced the margin of defeat in the 78th minute for the Gopibagh-based outfit, who currently occupy the bottom spot in the 10-team table with a single point from three games.

Mohammedan, on the other hand, are in second position with seven points, two behind defending champions Kings who handed a 3-1 defeat to Fortis FC at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in the day's last match.

Rakib Hossain gave the hosts a flying start with a scintillating strike in the ninth minute of the match, picking the top of the net with a dipping shot from the top of the left side of the box, finding enough space in between two defenders and having enough dip on the shot to give the opposition goalie no chance to stop it.

Fortis hit back four minutes later when Omar Sarr's placing shot was blocked by Kings keeper Mehedi Hasan Srabon but rebounded off defender Tariq Kazi before nestling at the back of the net.

Dorielton Gomes, the top-scorer of the league, restored the champions' lead eight minutes later with his fifth goal in three games, smashing home a rebound after his initial attempt was parried straight back at him by Fortis goalkeeper Azad Hossain.

Azad was at fault again in the 77th minute as he let a thumping strike from Kings defender Rimon Hossain slip through his hands. A second defeat in three matches kept Fortis in eighth position while Kings sat pretty on top with nine points.

Meanwhile, six-time professional league champions Abahani got their first win of the campaign with a 1-0 win against Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj.

Cornelius Stewart scored the only goal of the game in the 88th minute for the Sky Blues, who were reduced to 10 men 50 minutes earlier for a challenge from Riyadul Hasan Rafi on Sheikh Jamal forward Faisal Ahmed Fahim just in front of the box as the latter was through on goal.

However, Stewart's powerful diagonal shot following a through-pass from Jonathan Edwards gave coach Diego Andres Cruciani his first win of the league as they moved into fourth position with four points, leaving Sheikh Jamal in seventh with three points.

The fourth match of the day saw Chittagong Abahani and Rahmatganj MFS play out a 1-1 draw at the Birshreshtho Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj, with the former registering their first point of the campaign and the latter moving to three points.