There might had one or two persons imagined about a global pandemic few months ago but almost certainly there was no person who would anticipate Bashundhara Kings, the defending champions and a behemoth of local football, would sit in the middle of the Bangladesh Premier League points table at the end of first quarter.
Only three points however have separated sixth-placed Bashundhara with Abahani and Chattogram Abahani at the top of the table, one of the instances that showed how competitive the league was before the Covid-19 pandemic shut down all sports activities across the country.
If the title is being handed to the current standings, Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club would be the one to claim for it as they are only a point away from top playing a game less than the joint leaders. Something none would have imagined.
Bashundhara had only one defeat in their debut season last year when they lifted the premier league title but in this season they but already lost twice in a row from only six outings. It must be mentioned a part of their star-studded squad was not available as they missed the service of former Argentine International Hernan Barcos due to ineligibility and five of their key players due to injury.
But when the Kings had Barcos, aka El Pirata, in their AFC Cup debut, they were on full swing to thrash TC Sports of Maldives 5-1. The unparalleled performance in the domestic league and Asia’s Europa league was explained by the coach Oscar Bruzon on several occasions.
Bruzon talked about the “conversion rate” which they have enjoyed in the AFC Cup but not much in the league in the absence of a quality striker like Barcos who is only available for the second phase. The defence also leaked flaws while coping with high-pressing game.
Bashundhara have started to experience something Abahani dealt with during the last season where their results in the AFC Cup were unprecedented but it cost them slipping from the premier league race a bit earlier. Bruzon may get a lesson from it to find balance when the football actions resume.
The Sky Blues are jointly leading the table but what was more pleasing to the fans was handing 4-0 defeat to Mohammedan in Dhaka Derby, regardless of their sorry defeat from the AFC Cup preliminary round due to away goal.
Chattogram Abahani appeared to be the side to reckon with. Maruful Haque admitted that their runners-up campaign in the Sheikh Kamal Club Cup and keeping the squad almost unchanged helped them prepare better to deal with tough opening fixtures.
After coming from three-goal deficit to beat Bashundhara 4-3 in last match and also beating the teams like Abahani, Sheikh Russel and Sheikh Jamal, the port city outfits have comparatively easier fixtures to overcome if they are to maintain the lead until the end of first phase.
“It is not wise to think that the upcoming matches would be easier,” argued the Chattogram Abahani coach. “Because every team are capable of giving hard times but we have to be careful. I don’t also think the standings will remain the same way.”
Sheikh Jamal and Mohammedan are two other surprising packs so far. The former side has a game in hand otherwise they could be on the top after four straight wins first time in two years.
The Black and Whites have been quite impressive in different manner under Sean Lane. One day they face humiliating defeat against the arch-rivals and the next match they beat the Kings while making debut in their new home ground in Cumilla. It was their overall performance so far this season that made natiobal coach Jamie Day to comment, “unexceptional”.
Former Abahani head coach Drago Mamic, currently guiding Saif Sporting Club who have a point more than Kings, admitted that he never experienced such competitive league in Bangladesh before.
Mamic explained his difficulties to combat with the injuries of captain Jamal Bhuiyan and Rwandan Emery while developing a group of around ten young booters including Yeasin Arafat, the 18-year-old defender, who become first local player in the whole league to get into score-sheet.
Sheikh Russel have been mere shadow of their performance of the previous season where they finished third with best defensive record. With three defeats already, two draw and a single win, the former treble-winners are sitting eighth having two points fewer than Rahmatganj MFS.
Like, Rahmatganj, the Federation Cup finalist surprise, newly promoted Police FC and Brothers Union also gave tough times to the giants. Brothers fought out four draws in six matches including one against Abahani.
The bottom two sides – Uttar Baridhara and Muktijoddha SKC – in the 13-team points table are only struggling most but they too earned a point each with one game less than others.
