Uttar Baridhara on brink of promotion

Uttar Baridhara edged one step closer to realising their long-time dream of playing in the top-tier football when they held out Rahmatganj MFS 1-1 in their match of the Premier Bank Bangladesh Championship League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The New Dhaka outfit, who finished runners-up in the championship league last season, look likely to win the league this time as they are on 23 points, three ahead of second-placed Chittagong Abahani, with only two matches left. Rahmatganj are in third position with 18 points. Two teams will qualify for the Premier league this time. Only a draw in their last two matches -- against Victoria and Farashganj – might be enough to see them through.
In yesterday's match, Sabbir Hossain broke the deadlock for Rahmatganj in the 69th minute with a neat freekick that was placed by the side of the wall and went into the net beating the goalie. However, Uttar Baridhara levelled the margin four minutes later when Mahmudullah Dalim toe-poked on a curling freekick to bamboozle the opposition goalie.
The young Baridhara players, celebrated along with their long-time coach Alamgir Hossain, as they felt promotion was near.
The coach said if they do qualify for the premier league, it would be down to the club member's faith and cohesion of the players', who have been playing together for the last four years.
The new Dhaka outfit have won six of their matches this season, drawing five and losing only once, which came against Wari Club on May 25. Their striker Mohammad Jibon is the highest scorer of the league with nine goals to his name so far.