National striker Mithun Chowdhury scored a goal in each half as Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra squeezed a 2-1 win over Feni Soccer Club in the Bangladesh League at the Kamalapur stadium on Sunday.
The win took Muktijoddha to the second position in the league table, three places up from their previous standing, with nine points from four matches. Feni Soccer on the other hand stayed in the 10th position with two points which they earned from two draws.
Feni Soccer goalkeeper Piaruzzaman Piru denied Muktijoddha in the 16th and 29th minutes when parried long shots, once diving to his left and then to his right.
It looked like the first half would end in stalemate before Mithun broke the deadlock in the injury time with a low diving header.
Muktijoddha’s Nigerian forward Alamu Bukola headed a Zahed Parvez cross into the six-yard box and Mithun darted from behind to head the ball home.
Bukola and Mithun partnership did the trick again in the 56th minute for Muktijoddha as they doubled their lead. Piru blocked a Bukola shot from just outside the penalty box and Mithun rushed in to score his fourth goal of the competition.
Feni Soccer Club, who did not look very positive in the match, got something to fight with, scoring in the 72nd minute. Substitute striker Towhidul Alam who had replaced Mamun three minutes earlier headed home a Lutfur Rahman Nayan free-kick to reduce the margin.
The goal charged up the visitors and they created some scoring chances. Towhid entered into the danger zone with a solo effort only to collide with advancing goalkeeper Biplob Bhattacharjee before taking the final shot in the 82nd minute.
Super-sub Towhid again headed a Kubaye Dominic set-piece on target four minutes from time which whistled past the crosspiece.
Muktijoddha coach Maruful Haque was happy to find a gradual improvement in his team’s performance.
‘We are improving day by day and most importantly for us Bukola is getting his rhythm back. It is a good sign. This was a very important game for us, though we still have a long way to go,’ said Maruf.
