A struggling Brothers Union side registered a remarkable 5-2 win over Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in their Bangladesh Premier League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. The rare win may provide a huge boost for the Gopibagh outfit in their battle for survival in the relegation zone.
In the other matches of the day, a 10-man Saif Sporting Club played out a 1-1 draw against Mohammedan Sporting Club at the Rafiq Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh while at the Bangabandhu National Stadium ,Chittagong Abahani handed Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra a shocking 3-0 defeat, their biggest in terms of margin in the league this season.
Gambian forward Momodou Bah netted an early strike to put Chittagong Abahani ahead in the ninth minute with a powerful left-footer from 30 yards. Md Sohel Mia scored twice in the second half - first, he utilized a goalkeeping blunder to double the lead with a header in the first minute of second half before converting Bah’s cross to seal the victory in the 61st minute.
Uzbek striker Otabek Zokirov gave Saif Sporting the lead in the 33rd minute before Mohammedan’s local forward Kawsar Ali Rabbi cancelled out the lead in the 83rd minute. Saif defender Asaduzzaman Babul received red card in the injury time.
Saif remained at third position with 37 points from 18 matches while Russel currently have 36 points from one game less. Chittagong Abahani leapfrogged Sheikh Jamal by a point to move to the sixth spot with 22 points. At the end of the day, it was Brothers’ win which appeared to be more significant than their two previous encounters as their biggest win this season to catch Nofel Sporting Club at the bottom end of the table with 13 points from 17 matches. Only Team BJMC is placed beneath them in the table.
The opening half was an eventful affair where Brothers went in front in the 14th minute thanks to a cheeky goal from Ariful Islam Shanto. Sudanese forward James Saeed Moga doubled the lead in the 20th minute from a free-kick just outside the box, Sujon had a touch on the ball before it hit the top of the net.
Jamal pulled two goals back before the break. Gambian forward Emil Sambou headed home in a Solomon King cross before the Gambian scored again from the middle of the box following a cutback from Monir Hossain.
Shanto scored his second to give Brothers the lead again in the 40th minute as header, following a long cross of Md Mokaram, bounced inside the net. Moga also completed his brace in the 62nd minute after heading home a fine long ball off midfielder Shofiqul Islam Shafi.
Mannaf Rabby made it 5-2 in the 77th minute when the local forward volleyed home a rebounder from middle of the box after Shafi’s initial effort was blocked by the keeper.
Results
Sheikh Jamal 2 (Sambou 28, 38) - 5 Brothers Union (Shanto 14, 40, Moga 20, 62, Mannaf 77)
Saif Sporting 1 (Zokirov 33) - 1 Mohammedan (Rabbi 83)
Ctg Abahani 3 (Bah 9, Sohel 46, 61) -0 Sheikh Russel
Today’s Fixture
Rahmatganj vs Bashundhara Kings
7pm, BNS