Police hold Kings

Defending champions Bashundhara Kings received a jolt in their second match of the Bangladesh Premier League as promoted Bangladesh Police came from behind to hold them to a 1-1 draw at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

In the day's other match, title contenders Sheikh Russel, who played out a 1-1 draw against Brothers Union in their previous match, were held to a goalless draw by Rahmatganj.

Federation Cup champions Bashundhara, who secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over Uttar Baridhara in their opening match, faced a stiff challenge from Bangladesh Police, who came into the match on the back of a 0-2 loss to Abahani.

Police started promisingly, unlike in their previous match against Abahani, and created a few opportunities in the first 20 minutes, with Bulgarian forward Laskov Antonio and American striker Riveria Sidney coming close to breaking the deadlock.

Antinio saw his free-kick was brilliantly tipped over by goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico in the 17th minute before a Sidney volley narrowly missed the target.

Those served as wake-up calls for Bashundhara, who gradually took control. They went close to taking a lead in the 23rd minute after availing a fumble from Police goalkeeper Saiful Islam Khan, but Towhidul Alam Sabuz failed to muster a shot from the edge of the box with Saiful tumbling to the ground after taking a goal-kick.

Bashundhara kept pressing for the lead and came close from a goal-mouth melee, but Kyrgyz defender Aider Mambetalieve made a goal-line save from Nicolas Delmonte's backheel in the 35th minute. Five minutes from the break, Sidney tried from the distance and missed narrowly, much to Zico's relief.

After resumption, Sabuz failed to connect to the ball with an open net waiting but the forward made amends in the 53rd minute, tapping in a rebound from close range after goalkeeper Saiful parried Delmonte's shot.  

Police equalised when substitute MS Bablu rattled the far post and Bashundhara defender Nurul Nayeem Faisal bundled the ball into his own net from inside the six-yard box in the in the 73rd minute as the teams shared a point each.