Mohammedan halt winless streak

Falling giants Mohammedan SC returned to winning ways in the Bangladesh Premier League after two matches as they notched up a narrow 2-1 win over bottom-of-the-table Rahmatganj MFS at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

With an eighth win from 19 games, Mohammedan remain fifth with 28 points, while Rahmatganj slid further into the red with only 13 points from 19 matches.

After having played out two consecutive draws against Sheikh Russel KC and Team BJMC, the Black and Whites were under pressure from the get-go and Rahmatganj twice came close to taking the lead within the first four minutes. However both efforts, from Naimur Rahman Shahed and Dawda Ceesay, went narrowly wide.

Mohammedan then found a goal against the run of play in the fifth minute as Haitian forward Augustin Walson released an inch-perfect cross from the left for Kingsley Chigozie, who beat goalkeeper Omar Faruk with a left-footed side-volley from inside the box.

However, that lead lasted all of five minutes due to the lacklustre skills of MSC goalkeeper Mamun Khan and defender Asaduzzaman Bablu. Mamun failed to stop a square ball from Dawda and Bablu miscued his clearance, which fell straight to unmarked midfielder Mohammad Sohel, who made no mistake in tapping home from inside the six-yard box to bring Rahmatganj level.

However, Mohammedan restored their one-goal advantage in the 31st minute when right-back Nasirul Islam's pass into the danger zone found the back of the net after taking a deflection off Rahmatganj defender Nazimuddin Mithu.

Mohammedan had an opportunity to extend their lead in the 64th minute but, after availing a cutback from Augustin, Biplu Ahmed fired wide from the edge of the box.

Rahmatganj found two opportunities as they pressed hard for the equaliser. First, Dawda's free-kick rattled back off the bar in the 67th minute, before Mohammedan goalkeeper Mamun redeemed himself by brilliantly diving to his left to thwart a shot from Rashedul Islam Shuvo in the 73rd minute.

In the day's second match between mid-table sides Sheikh Russsel KC and Team BJMC the points were shared in a 2-2 draw.

The stalemate left both teams glued to their previous positions, Sheikh Russel are in sixth with 25 points from 19 matches while BJMC are just behind on 18 points from 19 matches.

Kingsley Oshiokha put BJMC ahead by converting a penalty in the sixth minute before Sheikh Russel's Egyptian Zaki Sharhan equalised the score from close range in the 27th minute.

Haitian forward Francois gave Sheikh Russel the lead in the 79th minute, but BJMC once again equalised two minutes from time, courtesy of a glancing header from Pasban Molla.