Belfort powers six-star Abahani
An effortless hattrick from Haitian forward Belfort Kervens helped Abahani equal their second-biggest Bangladesh Premier League victory as the Sky Blues inflicted an emphatic 6-0 defeat on Rahmatganj at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Abahani's biggest victory also came against Rahmatganj, a 7-0 win during the inaugural season of the BPL in 2007 and their second-biggest margin of victory was a 6-0 win over Khulna Abahani in the second edition of the BPL in 2009.
A ninth triumph from 15 matches helped the Sky Blues topple Sheikh Jamal and grab second position on an equal 32 points, with the six-time champions ahead by virtue of goal difference but aware that the Dhanmondi club have a game in hand.
Leaders Bashundhara Kings have an eight-point cushion on Abahani and Sheikh Jamal, with a game in hand over Abahani. They were scheduled to take on Brothers Union last night.
Abahani and Rahmatganj contested the match on an even footing initially with an attacking mood but Rahmatganj surrendered immediately after Abahani took the lead through a suicidal own goal. Tajik defender Khurshed Beknazarov bundled into his own net while attempting to clear a cut-back from Raihan Hasan in the 27th minute before Belfort doubled the margin 10 minutes later with a left-footed grounder following a cutback from Brazil's Raphael Augusta. Belfort and Raphael combined again, the latter this time whipping in a perfect cross from the right that Belfort rose high to meet and make it 3-0 three minutes from the break.
After resumption, Rahmatganj's Nigerian striker Felix Chidi Odili got an opportunity to reduce the deficit but he was denied by Abahani goalkeeper Sultan Ahmed Shakil twice from close range within the first five minutes of the second half.
Belfort completed the league's fifth hattrick, after Omar Jobe, Obi Moneke, Raul Becerra and Robson Da Silva, by driving a low Mamun Mia cross home in the 62nd minute. Three minutes later, Mamun Mia made it 5-0.
Afghan defender Masih Saighani completed the rout with a powerful left-footer from outside the box five minutes from time to help Abahani leave the ground a relatively easy win over Rahmatganj.
In the day's second match, a superb brace from Mohammad Jewel helped Bangladesh Police register a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Uttar Baridhara Club under floodlights.
Saiddoston Fozilov converted a penalty to give Baridhara a 63rd-minute lead before Jewel stole the show. He levelled the margin in the 74th minute with a side volley from a Yao Christian cross before flicking the decisive goal from a Murolimzhon Akhmedov lob to give Police FC their fourth win from 15 matches and condemn Baridhara to their seventh defeat in 14 games.
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