Defending Champions Abahani returned back to the summit of the Bangladesh Premier League football as they beat Saif Sporting Club 3-1 on Monday.
Abahani, who played their 10th match of the league, now have 24 points, two more than newcomers Bashundhara kings though the latter side have played two less games. Saif remained in the fourth spot with 17 points from nine games.
The win keeps one of the most popular sides of the country in the hunt of another title. But on the same day, their arch-rivals and another popular club, Mohammedan Sporting Club slumped even further as they lost to lowly side NoFel Sporting Club 1-0.
With the loss, the fallen giants of Dhaka football now have just five points from nine games and they remain in the 11th position of the 13-team league. With the win, only their second in the league, Nofel are now in ninth place with eight points.
In the other match of the day, Chittagong Abahani ended with a goalless draw against Lt Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club. With the result Jamal remained on sixth position with 13 points from 10 games and Chittagong Abahani stay one position behind with 11 points from nine matches.
Out of favour Bangladesh winger Zahid Hossain maintained his scoring ways as his side Arambagh Krira Sangha defeated Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra 2-1 at Rafique Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh Friday.https://t.co/6uqzTNUFuT#FOOTBALL #BANGLADESH #BFF #ZAHID
— Dhaka Tribune Sports (@Sport_DT) March 1, 2019
Abahani v Saif
Abahani’s Nigerian marksman Sunday Chizoba emerged as the hero at Rofique Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh with a brace.
However, local striker Nabib Newaz Jibon broke the deadlock in the ninth minute when he got a through ball from Rubel Mia to make the scoreline 1-0 in favour of Abahani. Jibon now has five goals, two less than top goal-scorer - Muktijoddha Sangshad’s Ivory Coast striker Ballo Famoussa. But currently, he is on top among local players.
Sunday struck his first goal of the match in the 28th minute and the Nigerian scored another goal - his sixth in the league - in the 56th minute to give his side a comfortable 3-0 lead.
Saif’s Russian recruit Denis Bolshakov hit one goal in the 63rd minute but that was not enough to salvage the game for them in front of the home crowd.
Nofel v Mohammedan
The match at the Shahid Bulu Stadium the first half ended in a goalless draw and it was heading towards a barren game in front of a handful of spectators before the referee awarded a penalty in the 83rd minute.
NoFel’s experienced Guinean striker Ismail Bangoura made no mistake to convert the spot kick as he put the ball in the top left-hand corner of the post to score the only goal of the match.
Ctg Abahani v Jamal
At the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka, the Chittagong outfit took an early lead but their midfielder Kaushik Barua was late to take the shot after getting the ball inside the penalty box just in the second minute of the game.
Jamal got a chance in the final minutes of the first half, but Kyrgyz David Bruce Tetteh’s head was saved by opponent goalkeeper Mohammad Nehal.
Tetteh’s powerful shot in the 76th minute rebounded off the post and neither team could create any more clear opportunities after that in the remaining minutes.