Nigerian forward Chuka Charles’ double strike gave Feni Soccer Club their first victory in the Nitol-Tata Bangladesh Premier League as they beat Team BJMC 2-1 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
After falling behind to Saiful Islam Saif’s wonderful volley in the opening half, Charles leveled the margin in the 58th minute before sealing the victory with a calm finish just two minutes from stipulated time.
The win made the Feni outfits leapfrog Chittagong Abahani and Uttar Baridhara Club to get above the relegation zone to eighth place with seven points from 10 games. BJMC are placed a step above in the table with 12 points.
The Independence Cup success where Soccer Club finished runners-up gave the players enough confidence to snatch all three points with a dominating display throughout the game.
Feni began the game brightly and could have gone ahead in the 11th minute when Azmal Hossain Biddut missed a sitter. Charles’ cross from the right flank was headed down by Kabba Jobe for Bidduit inside the six-yard box, but the midfielder failed to keep his shot below the crossbar. Six minutes later, Abdullah Al Mamun squandered another clear cut chance firing on a Charles cross over the bar from the middle of the box.
All of a sudden against the run of play Saiful Islam took the lead for BJMC in the 21st minute with a powerful volley from inside the box following a free-kick clearance that fell onto his feet.
Saiful not only put his side ahead by scoring the opener but also made a brilliant goal line clearance at the stroke of half time to keep his side ahead. Charles ran through the right flank to break into the penalty area and dribbled past the keeper but saw his shot cleared off the line by Saiful.
Feni posed more threats in the second-half and wasted a pair of chances before Charles equalised in the 58th minute. Gambian midfielder Mathew Mendy provided a through pass to find Charles free towards the goal and the Nigerian forward slotted the ball into the net with cool finish.
Mathew Mendy could have taken the lead in the 75th minute when the Gambian’s placing shot went wide after a lovely lobbed pass from Landing Darboe.
Chuka netted his second of the evening to seal the victory in the 88th minute. The Nigerian striker beat the offside trap to receive a through pass from Landing and calmly placed the ball past onrushing keeper Ariful.
