Lucky Paul entertained a few hundred spectators with his brace to propel Abahani Limited to an easy 2-0 win over Arambagh KS in the Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Sunday. Lucky scored the goals either side of halftime to lead Abahani to the top of the league table with 23 points from 10 games while Arambagh are languishing in eighth place with just six points from equal number of games, the defeat against Abahani being their eighth in a miserable campaign.
Lucky scored in the 39th and 54th minutes to help his side seal the double win over Arambagh this season, with Abahani winning the corresponding fixture 2-1 earlier. In the first game of the day at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, Sheikh Russell KC’s Haitian playmaker Soni Norde notched his sixth and seventh goals of the season to inspire his side to a 4-3 comeback win over sixth-placed Team BJMC.
The 23-year-old Norde struck two goals and set up the other two as Sheikh Russell moved into second place with 22 points, trailing league leaders Abahani by a point. Sheikh Russell have played nine games to Abahani’s 10, while Team BJMC are reeling in sixth spot with 12 points from 10 games.
Team BJMC were the brighter side of the two at the start with two goals coming inside quarter of an hour. Elita Kingsley scored from close range in the fifth minute while Taklish Ahmed increased the lead in the 15th minute to give Team BJMC a 2-goal lead at the break.
Sheikh Russell bounced back immediately after the restart when they scored three goals within nine minutes of the second half, thanks to two goals from Norde in the 55th and 64th minutes, sandwiched between a Zahid Hossain strike in the 58th minute.
Guinean forward Ismael Bangoura bagged his sixth goal of the season in the 66th minute to level the tie for Team BJMC. However, Tarik Al Janaby blasted the all-important winning goal for Sheikh Russell to spark wild celebrations among his team-mates.
Meanwhile, the third game of the day between Muktijoddha Sangsad KC and Brothers Union ended in a 1-1 draw at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj. Brazilian Tyson Silva opened the scoring after 22 minutes to give Muktijoddha the lead but Kamol equalised for Brothers in the 80th minute.
Muktijoddha are occupying fourth spot with 15 points from 10 games while Brothers are in seventh place with eight points from the same number of outings.
The next game of the league is a crucial one between powerhouses Mohammedan Sporting Club and Sheikh Jamal, which will be held after two days of interval on February 5 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. Mohammedan are in fifth place while Sheikh Jamal are in third.
RESULTS
Muktijoddha SKC 1 (Tyson Silva 22) v Brothers Union 1 (Komol 80); Team BJMC 3 (Eleta Kingsley 5, Taklis 15, Ismael Bangoura 66) v SK Russell 4 (Sony 55, 64, Zahid 58, Janaby 85p); Abahani Ltd 2 (Lucky Paul 40, 54) v Arambagh KS 0.
-With New Age input
