Mohammedan Sporting Club Ltd won the first Dhaka Derby of the ongoing season 2024-25 as they beat arch-rivals Abahani Ltd Dhaka in their first-leg match of the ongoing Bashundhara Group Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) 2024-25 at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla on Saturday.
Malian forward Souleymane Diabate scored the match-winner with a header from inside the box, off a cross from midfielder Rahim Uddin in the 45+2nd minute, to help the traditional black and white consolidated the top spot of the 10-team leaderboard with 9 points from three back-to-back wins.
After the interval, Diabate got a chance to double the margin but his shot deflected by the post in the 63rd minute. On the other side, Abahani, who hadn’t recruited any foreigners this season, came alive in the second half and started to put pressure on their opponents’ defence.
Abahani could have ended the match with a draw but forward Arman Faysal Akash narrowly missed the target in the 90+3rd minute. Defender Asaduzzaman Bablu netted the ball in the 90+5th minute, but the assistant referee cancelled it signalling the offside.
ABG Bashundhara BPL 2023-24 runners-up Mohammedan started the ongoing season with 1-3 goals defeat to Bashundhara Kings in the single-leg match of the curtain-raising tournament -- Bangladesh 2.0 Challenge Cup 2024-25, Powered by Bashundhara Group held in November.
The traditional black and white also got a blow in the ongoing Bashundhara Group Federation Cup 2024-25 as they suffered a shocking 0-1 goal defeat to Rahamatganj Muslim Friends Society in the opening match of the five-team Group B on December 10.
However, Mohammedan, under head coach Alfaz Ahmad, maintained an unbeaten run in the league. They crushed Dhaka Wanderers Club by 6-0 goals in the opening game and beat holders Kings by 1-0 goal in the second game.
Abahani, who suffered the first defeat of the league, were third with 6 points from two wins and a defeat. They earlier beat Fakirerpool Young Men’s Club by 2-0 goals and Dhaka Wanderers by 1-0 goal.
In the day’s other match, Police Football Club bagged their second win of the ongoing BPL as they beat Dhaka Wanderers by 4-0 goals at the Shahid Barkat Stadium in Gazipur.
Forward Al Amin scored two goals in the 36th and 42nd minutes while forward Dipok Roy and Syed Shah Quazem Kirmanee added one each in the 79th and 84th minutes respectively.
With the day’s win, Police FC bagged 6 points from two wins and one defeat while Dhaka Wanderers remained at the bottom tenth empty-handed as they suffered three back-to-back defeats.
bd-pratidin/GR
