Brothers relegated for first time in 45 years

Brothers Union, the country's one of the oldest outfits and once the third force behind popular Abahani and Mohammedan SC, have been relegated from the top-flight football for the first time in 45 years when they suffered a 4-0 defeat to Muktijoddha Sangsad in a Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.

Brothers Union, founded in 1949 as a cultural organization, entered into football in 1973 and gradually advanced to the top league in 1975. 

It was the first time that Brothers had to endure a shocking departure from the professional football league with still three matches left in the BPL as rivals Muktijoddha Sangsad went out of reach by taking their points tally to 18 from 21 matches, 12 points more than Brothers.

Financially-troubled Brothers had struggled to form a squad this season. They signed players two days after the closure of the transfer window and got the chance to participate in the league only after the Players' Status Committee of Bangladesh Football Federation made an exception considering Brothers' contribution to the country's football.

Winning the Federation Cup thrice in 1980, 1991 and 2005, becoming Dhaka Premier League champions twice in 2004 and 2005 and clinching the National Football League in 2004 are a few of their notable achievements at international club competitions.

Since the introduction of the professional football league in 2007, the once-a-heavyweight Brothers turned into a mediocre outfit, whose highest success in the BPL was to finish fourth twice -- in the 2008-2009 season and in the 2015-16 season. They also struggled last season to avoid relegation, finishing 11th out of 13 teams, just ahead of two relegated sides.  

It was all but confirmed that the Gopibagh-based outfit were going to hit its low of club history after they could collect only five points from 12 matches in the competition's first leg. Brothers brought a massive change in the mid-term transfer window by signing foreign and new players but they could not avert the inevitable after securing only one point from nine matches.

In the day's match, Muktijoddha Sangsad needed just a victory over Brothers to take them to a safe position and ensure that Brothers become the second team to be relegated this season after Arambagh faced the same fate on Monday.

Determined Muktijoddha Sangsad took the lead in the fourth minute with a strike from Abou Dicko of Ivory Coast before Guinean defender Camara Younoussa doubled the lead in the 21st minute.

After the resumption, Shakil Kishor made it 3-0 in the 50th minute before Japanese Yusuke Kato wrapped up the victory with a goal in the 78th minute.