Sheikh Russel rout Arambagh

Maruf Ahmed (C) of Sheikh Russel tries to control the ball during their Bangladesh League clash against Arambagh at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.Photo: STAR

Braces from Mohammad Rony and Salah Maflouh helped Sheikh Russel KC record their 11th victory in the Bangladesh League as they thumped Arambagh KS 6-1 in their away match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Apart from Rony and Maflu's doubles, midfielders Jamal Nakhle and Abdullah Parvez added one goal apiece against Arambagh, who held Sheikh Russel to a 2-2 draw in their home match.
Sheikh Russel kept their third place with 36 points from 15 matches, four points behind second-placed Mohammedan SC.
In the day's other match, visitors Farashganj SC handed a 2-1 defeat to hosts Beanibazar SC at Sylhet Stadium to leapfrog into sixth place from the 11th position to join Arambagh and Brothers Union with 15 points from as many matches.
After a barren first half, Farashganj went ahead in the 76th minute through a strike from Sabuj before Nigerian striker Kalu Johnson doubled the margin one minute from time to give the old Dhaka outfit their third win in 15 matches. Shohel Rana pulled one goal back in stoppage time but could not avert Beanibazar's sixth defeat in the league.
Back at BNS, the margin might give an impression of a one-side affair, but the fact was that both Arambagh and Sheikh Russel presented a lively game and the ability of availing opportunities was what actually made the difference between them.
Sheikh Russel took a seventh-minute lead through striker Rony, who did not mistake to place a Rajon Mia cross from the right home. Moroccan playmaker Jamal doubled the margin through an unexpected goal in the 30th minute when his cross for Rony directly found the back of the Arambagh net.
Two minutes into the second half, Salah made it 3-0 with a spectacular shot taken from the left corner of the box and he widened the margin in the 49th availing a throw-in from Rajon Mia.
Rony struck his league's eighth and team's fifth goal in the 64th minute before Arambagh reduced the margin to 5-1 in the 69th minute through a Kabir Hossain strike.
Abdullah Parvez sealed the fate of the game five minutes from time with a spectacular drive from outside the box.