Sports Reporter :
Bashundhara Kings retained their title of the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football defeating Saif Sporting Club by two goals to nil in their match of the TVS Bangladesh Premier League Football at the Bir Shreshtha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj on Monday.
This was for the third consecutive time that Bashndhara won the BPL Football trophy. Bashundhara Kings bring a new dimension in the football competition of Bangladesh’s clubs.
Bashundhara Kings grabbed 51 points from 20 matches, while Saif Sporting Club took the third position collecting 34 points from as many outings. Bashundhara Kings clinched the championship title with two matches in their hand. Title aspirants Dhaka Abahani Limited collected 41 points from 19 matches. If Abahani win all their rest of the matches, Abahani will gain 50 points from 22 matches. Abahani are now in the second position. So, no team have chance to level points with Bashundhara Kings.
Earlier, Bashundhara Kings beat Saif Sporting Club by 4-3 goals in their first round match.
Matin Mia of Bashundhara Kings put his team ahead by an accurate shot after dodging past two defenders of Saif Sporting Club in the 28th minute of the play. Matin Mia got the ball on his way from a pass of his teammate Miguel Ferreira.
After the intervals, substitute Biplu Ahmed sealed the fate of the match (2-0) by a spectacular left-footer in the 81st minute of the game.
Earlier, Saif Sporting Club got the first chance of the game in the 11th minute of the play.
Foysal Ahmed Fahim got a ball from his foreign teammate Asror Gofurov but Fahim’s shot was gripped by Bashundhara goalie Anisur Rahman Zico.
In the 16th minute of the match, Saif Sporting Club were awarded a free-kick. Emery Bayisenge struck the ball and Maraz Hossain got the ball at the D-box of Bashundhara Kings but his shot was saved by Zico and then, Mfon Udoh got the ball but Zico gripped the ball.
Bashundhara’s foreign recruit Miguel Ferreira’s forceful free-kick was saved by Saif Sporting Club’s custodian Pappu Hossain in the 22nd minute of the clash.
In the 37th minute of the game, Saif Sporting Club’s forward Rahim Uddin was roughly charged by Bashundhara’s Yeasin Arafat. Thus, he was showed second yellow card by the referee. So, it was turned into red card and Yeasin Arafat was forced to leave the field and Bashundhara Kings became 10-man team.
Bashundhara’s defender Rimon Hossain cleared the ball at the D-box in the 60th minute. Foysal Ahmed Fahim struck the shot.
Asrar Gofurov of Saif Sporting Club passed the ball into Bashundhara danger zone after dodging past two defenders of Bashundhara but Bashundhara’s defender Atiqur Rahman Fahad cleared the ball in the 68th minute of the encounter.
Maraz Hossain’s long-range shot was fisted by Bashundhara’s goalie Zico and saved his team at the cost of a corner in the 75th minute.
Thus, players of Bashundhara Kings left the field with a superb victory, which made them champions again in the BPL Football.
