The curtain on the Bangladesh Premier League fell on Wednesday with Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club securing the runners-up position thanks to a 2-1 over
Brothers Union at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
The sixth edition of the professional league, which was began on November 13 last year, was interrupted several times due to numerous reasons like the national team’s engagement, volatile political situation, national programmes and most recently for the eighth Bangladesh Games.
The league was first halted on November 17 four days after it began as the Bangladesh national team toured Thailand and Malaysia for two FIFA friendly matches.
Then the league remained suspended from February to April 5 for the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers and Independence Cup. Soon after the league resumed in first week of April, it was again interrupted from April 13 to April 26, this time for the eighth Bangladesh Games.
There were several short-time breaks between the matches for the ongoing political turmoil.
Sheikh Russell Krira Chakra secured the league with a match in hand and finished with 38 points after their 2-1 win over Feni Soccer in their last game.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club went into their last match knowing that a win will take them above Abahani and give them the runners-up trophy.
Goals from Nigerian duo Ariwa Chuku and Alfred Emoefe ensured the win for them, though Brothers pulled one back through Garcia Anderson.
Brothers barely survived the relegation but fellow traditional outfit Arambagh KC could not avoid the drop.
Arambagh completed the league at the bottom with nine points and were relegated after more than three decades in top-flight.
Tradition giants Mohammedan finished fifth but one big consolation came through Ghanaian Striker Osei Morrison, who is top-scorer in the league with 11 goals.
Shakhawat Hossain Rony of Abahani Limited scored highest seven goals among the local players.
There was just one hat-trick which came from top-scorer Morrison who netted three goals against Brothers Union.
-With New Age input
