Nigerian forward Nkwocha Kingsley scored a brace to help Muktijoddha KC earn a comfortable 4-2 victory over Team BJMC in the Nitol Tata Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Nkwocha netted either side of the half while his compatriots - Eleta Kingsley and Sunday Chizuba scored one apiece for the All Reds. The Nigerian trio’s indomitable supremacy was just too much for BJMC to negotiate as Samson Iliasu and Ismael Bangoura could only manage to reduce the margin for them in the second half.
Muktis initiated the attack as early as four minutes into the game when Sunday ran free towards BJMC goal following a headed-pass from Nkwocha Kingsley. He took a shot on target but BJMC keeper Ariful Islam dived to his right to make a decent save. The Nigerian then put Muktis ahead in the 23rd minute from a free-kick by Sunday. BJMC goalkeeper Arif failed to grip Sunday’s free-kick which was taken from just outside the box. The loose ball fell to Nkwocha who took the chance gleefully and buried the ball into the back of the net.
The other Kingsley, Eleta, doubled the lead in the 42nd minute with a brilliant solo effort. The BJMC defense seemed lethargic and glued to their position as Eleta skipped past a defender to break into the penalty area. The Nigerian then dribbled past two more defenders inside the box before slotting home past a helpless Arif to end the first half with a 2-0 lead.
Ariful Islam was called into action once again as he produced a lovely save to deny Eleta’s effort after just four minutes into the second half. However, Arif couldn’t deny Nkwocha from netting his second of the evening two minutes later. Sunday was involved again as his pass from the top of the box found Nkwocha, whose angular shot blasted into the far post to extend Mukti’s lead to an unassailable 3-0.
BJMC, however, managed to put one back in the 58th minute when Nigerian midfielder Samson Iliasu tapped in to score from a Mahadi Hasan Tapu cross. But only three minutes later, Sunday restored the 3 goal cushion for Muktijoddha and it was a stunner. The Nigerian striker made an audacious attempt as he curled a chip from the top left corner of the box which sneaked into the far post to make it 4-1.
Sunday almost added another in the 67th minute when the Nigerian’s powerful strike from the middle of the box hit the woodwork. For BJMC, Masud Rana hit the bar also in the 76th minute.
However, Ismael Bangoura scored a consolation in the 79th minute from the spot after Shamol Ahmed Rony’s handball and the Guinean striker made no mistake to send the keeper wrong way to only reduce the margin of a defeat which was never in doubt.
The win saw Muktijoddha move to third place with 18 points from 11 matches while BJMC remain at seven with 12 points.