Leaders Bashundhara Kings maintained their unbeaten run in the Bangladesh Premier League with a 2-1 win over Saif SC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The ninth win in 10 matches put Kings six points clear of second-placed Abahani, who raised their tally to 22 points with a 1-1 draw against fourth-placed Sheikh Russel KC in the last match of the day at the same venue. The match between Saif and Kings reminded a bit of the final of this season’s Federation Cup as Saif looked more spirited and determined to turn the table against the defending champions, who had won the cup final 1-0.
Despite lacking consistency and coming on the back of a 2-0 defeat against Abahani, Saif started with an aggressive attitude and took an 18th-minute lead with John O’Koli running down the left flank and entering the box before shrugging off Yeasin Khan to place the ball into the net past the dive of Kings’ goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico.
After conceding the lead for first time in 10 matches, Kings bounced back strongly to level the margin in the 34th minute when Towhidul Alam Sabuz headed in a rebound from close range after Saif goalkeeper Saiful Islam failed to grip a low shot from Jonathan Fernandes. Three minutes later, Brazilian forward Robson Da Silva scored his 10th goal of the campaign with a 35-yard screamer, giving Saiful no time to react. Sixth-placed Saif should have got one point from the match but Kenneth Ngwoke wasted the opportunity from the spot in the 82nd minute, with Zico making a fine save.
Russel deny Abahani
Title contenders Abahani stumbled again after consecutive wins as the six-time champions were held to a draw for the third time in 10 matches. The Sky Blues looked on course for a seventh victory following a 26th-minute goal from Saad Uddin, but Tajik defender Siyovush Asrorov denied the Dhanmondi-based outfit by heading home a free-kick from Khalekur Zaman in the stoppage time.
Arambagh break their duck
After a record eighth straigt defeat, bottom-placed Arambagh registered their first points on the board with a 4-4 draw against Uttar Baridhara at the Shaheed Ahsan Ullah Master Stadium in Tongi. The result lifted 11th-placed Baridhara to six points from nine matches.