Substitute midfielder Abdullah Al Parvez scored a sensational goal as Team BJMC affected a halt in Mohammedan’s unbeaten streak in the Bangladesh Premier League with a thrilling 3-2 victory at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. In the other match of the day, Chittagong Abahani and Uttar Baridhara Limited played out a goalless draw at the same venue.
BJMC were 2-1 down when Parvez came onto the pitch in the 77th minute to steal the show. Just four minutes after his arrival, the gifted midfielder provided the assist for Samson Iliasu’s equalizer before sealing the victory with an exquisite lobbed finish from just inside the opponents’ half.
With the match destined to be a draw and the clock ticking over to final whistle, Parvez produced a swirling, pin-point lob with his left foot from well over 45 yards that dipped under the woodwork. Although Mohammedan keeper Mamun Khan backpedaled and his finger slightly touched the ball, it was too little and too late to prevent the ball from going into the net.
The result put an end to Independence Cup champion Mohammedan’s 12-match unbeaten run in all competitions and the last time they suffered defeat was against Abahani in the first phase of the league more than three months ago. The Black and Whites, however, remain third with 20 points from 12 matches while BJMC sit in the seventh position with 15 points.
BJMC made the first attack after just four minutes but Mamun Khan produced a super save when he fisted away Samson Iliasu’s powerful strike from just outside the box after a cutback from Mahadi Hasan Tapu. BJMC's promising beginning saw them draw first blood as Ismael Bangoura put BJMC ahead in the 15th minute from a penalty after Cameroonian defender Bayebeck Fombagne pushed Ismael down inside the box to gift BJMC an opportunity to score and the Guinean striker obliged gleefully by sending Mamun Khan the wrong way to score from the spot.
The Black and Whites also earned a penalty at the half hour mark and their Nigerian midfielder Demian Chigozie converted it to restore parity after BJMC defender Shahanur Rahman Rony brought down the Burkinan forward Zongo Ousseni.
Mohamedan took the lead for the first time in the match just two minutes after the resumption. Dispossessing a BJMC defender, Wahed Ahmed made an unobstructed darting run into the box and rounded off the keeper before placing the ball into an empty net. Wahed, however, wasted a great chance in the 57th minute when his attacking partner Zongo Ousseni provided a neat pass to him as he was unmarked. But Wahed failed to take the chance as he shot wide.
Mohammaden were left to rue that chance as the introduction of Abdullah Al Parvez in place of Shahnur Rahman Rony, changed the course of the game immediately in favour of BJMC. Parvez made an instant impact when in the 81st minute he curled in a cross from the right flank that found Samson at the second bar who out-muscled and out-jumped his marker to head home past Mamun to make it 2-2.
When it seemed that the game was heading for a draw, Parvez produced that magical moment in the injury time to leave the Mohammedan fans stunned as his wonderful but yet an incredible lob found the back of the net to seal a memorable victory for his club.
A dull opening half and a wasteful second-half meant the match between Chittagong Abahani and Uttar Baridhara could earn nothing but a goal-less stalemate which leaves both clubs with seven points from 12 matches with Chittagong Abahani ahead only on goal difference.
