Figueira shines on debut

A brace from debutant Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira helped leaders Bashundhara Kings exact their first-leg 2-1 defeat against newcomers Swadhinata KS with a 2-0 victory in the return match of the Bangladesh Premier League at Shaheed Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi yesterday.

At the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Goplaganj, title contenders Sheikh Jamal DC also notched a 2-0 win over Uttar Baridhara Club to stay within five points of Kings, who have 29 points from 12 matches.

Although Swadhinata stunned two-time champions Kings in their first match in top-flight football in February, the newcomers failed to put up any fight in this fixture. Playing without any foreign players, they were completely dominated by the Kings, who had bolstered their attack with two new foreign recruits.

Kings did not feel the absence of their suspended Brazilian forward Robson Da Silva as new-signings Figueira and Marong kept the Swadhinata defenders on their toes by creating at least three scoring chances before the former broke the deadlock in the 28th minute. 

Marong headed a Matin Mia cross wide in the 18th minute before the Spanish forward saw his placing shot from a cutback from Tariq saved by the outstretched leg of keeper Sarwar Jahan in the next minute.

Unmarked Figueira saw his feeble header on a cross from Yeasin gripped easily by Sarwar in the 21st minute but he did not fail to find the target seven minutes later when a long throw-in by Bishwanath Ghosh was headed down a Swadhinata defender inside the box.

Figueira then doubled the lead nine minutes later after a feeble clearance by Sarwar on a cross from Yeasin fell on his feet.    

However, Kings could not extend their margin in the second half despite bringing some changes as the Swadhinata concentrated on defending.

In Gopalganj, Nigerian striking duo of Chijoke Alaekwe and Musa Najere made a remarkable debut in the Bangladesh Premier League as both of struck in the first half against hosts Uttar Baridhara Club.

Sheikh Jamal took only two minutes to take the lead when Alaekwe drove home from a goal-mouth melee after a long throw-in by Raihan Hasan made havoc in the opposition box. Najere doubled Sheikh Jamal's lead with a cleaver header on a long-ball over onrushing goalkeeper Mamun Alif in the 21st minute.