A late header by Ismael Bangoura helped Mohammedan Sporting Club to a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Feni Soccer Club in the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra on the other hand returned to winning ways with the same margin of victory against Team BJMC in the second match of the day at the same venue, thanks to second-half strikes by foreign forwards Jean Jules Ikanga and Damir Ibric.
An early goal by Cameroonian midfielder Belinga Amabara put the Black and Whites ahead before substitute forward Sohel Miah cancelled out the lead in the early minutes of the second half but Guinean striker Bangoura netted the winner in the dying stages of the game.
Mohammedan, who remain at second place, closed the gap with league leaders Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to eight points and now have 34 points from 17 outings while Feni stayed seventh with 15 points from the same number of matches.
It took the Black and Whites only 11 minutes to open their scoring when Belinga bagged his first goal in the top-flight this season. Feni keeper Ahsan Habib Bipu blocked a powerful Bangoura shot and Belinga made no mistake poking home on the rebound.
Sohel came off the bench to equalise the margin six minutes into the second half. The young forward chipped the ball over Mohammedan goalkeeper Ashraful Haq Rana to find the back of the net following a corner from Gambian midfielder Jatta Mustapha. It was Sohel’s third goal in as many games.
Feni were then reduced to 10 men in the 82nd minute when midfielder Sharan Hawlader received his marching orders.
Bangoura scored his 15th top-tier goal this season to seal the victory in the 84th minute, heading home a Jewel Rana cross from the right-flank.
Meanwhile, after losing against Abahani and Sheikh Jamal in the last two matches having conceded a total of nine goals, Sheikh Russel had to wait more than an hour to open the scoring against a struggling Team BJMC yesterday.
Ikanga rescued Sheikh Russel by taking the lead from the spot in the 71st minute after BJMC keeper Himel fouled Russel’s Nigerian striker Kingsley Chigozie inside the box.
Ibric scored a fantastic goal four minutes later, curling home a powerful strike from the left corner of the box.
Substitute forward Mehedi Hasan Tapu reduced the margin in the 85th minute, smashing home from the edge of the six-yard box after being set up by Jibon. Sheikh Russel climbed to third place with 32 points from 16 matches, one more than Abahani, while Team BJMC remained at ninth with only 12 points.
