MSC off the blocks

Mohammedan's match-winner Mobarak Hossain (L) gets a congratulatory hug from a teammate for scoring the decisive goal against Brothers Union at the BNS yesterday.Photo: STAR

Mohammedan Sporting Club sprinted off the blocks as they scored a 25th second goal on way to registering a 2-1 win over Brothers Union in the Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. The goal from Nigerian Basden Wilcox was cancelled by Brothers Union youngster Abdul Malek in the 72nd minute. But the Black and Whites had the last laugh as their winger Mobarak Hossain came off the bench to score a superlative goal which ensured them the full three points in their first match of the league and also brought cheer to the under-fire coach Emeka Euzegio.
“We got three points from the match and that is what matters. I give all the credit to the players for the win,” said the Nigerian who has been much maligned for assorting some mediocre recruits from home since their ignominious exit from the Federation Cup. But the former star player defended his signings by saying, “They are new in this environment. They need time to adjust. You've got to give them the benefit of the doubt.”
Emeka also suggested that the Nigerian recruits are better than the local ones which is why he persevered with them.
However, the picture was quite different on the pitch. Apart from scoring the opening goal which came in the first minute, courtesy of a back volley from the six-yard box by Basden Wilcox, Mohammedan's four Nigerians did very little throughout the match to impress.
In fact, Brothers Union had more of the possession for large parts of the match, and they should have gone level had Kingsley Chigozie done a better job of connecting a header on a Shah Alamgir Anik cross on the 14th minute. Anik, the youngster who played for the Bangladesh national side in their SAFF campaign, was diligent down the right wing and provided some dangerous crosses for the strikers.
However, it was Anik's substitute and another youngster Abdul Malek who made the impact as he came off the bench and immediately snatched a fortuitous goal. Malek pounced on a lethargic header from Mohammedan skipper Motiur Munna and chipped it to the back of the net before the goalkeeper Arifuzzaman Himel, who replaced injured Titumir Chowdhury in the first half, could get to the ball.
In search of the winner, Emeka brought on Mobarak Hossain and Shariful Islam in the midfield which apparently increased their attacking potency a great deal. Mobarak, once unlucky when his shot came rasping off the bar in the 81st minute, made it count three minutes later with a superlative solo effort. The diminutive winger ran on to an excellent through ball from Munna in the midfield, outpaced his marker, hared past a defender before rounding off the keeper for slotting in the decisive goal.
Brothers manager Aamer Khan, who was standing in for the absent coach Syed Nayeemuddin, blamed poor finishing from his strikers for their second defeat in two matches.