BPL returns with a stalemate

A major lack of team chemistry from both outfits, especially on the attacking front, left the Bangladesh Premier League encounter between Muktijoddha Sangsad and Sheikh Russel KC to a goalless draw at Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. The match was being played after a 12-day break due to the lockdown.

The stalemate on a fine pitch saw Sheikh Russel raise their points tally to 28 from 17 matches while Muktijoddha Sangsad, battling hard to avoid relegation, earned a valuable point to have 11 from 16 matches and more importantly, have six points more than Brothers Union.

Sheikh Russel KC could have moved up to the fourth position of the 13-team table with an outright win over Muktijoddha Sangsad, whom they handed 1-0 defeat in the first-leg meeting earlier, but the former champions never seemed to possess the necessary hunger during the game as the foreign recruits appeared reluctant to help each other upfront.

Like Sheikh Russel, Mukijoddha Sangsad also played without purpose though a triumph over Sheikh Russel was not impossible with the way they attacked but there was seemingly no clear understanding among the forwards, who either had hit the shot wide or straight at goalkeeper Ashraful Islam Rana despite getting him on one-on-one situations.