Mohammedan finish runners-up

In a battle of two arch-rivals, Dhaka Mohammedan SC finished runners up in the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football 2023-24, beating their traditional foe Dhaka Abahani Ltd by 2-1 goals at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani Stadium in Gopalganj on Wednesday afternoon, reports UNB.

After the day's outcome, Independence Cup and Federation Cup runners-up Dhaka Mohammedan SC, also finished runners-up in the just concluded BPL, securing 35 points from all 18 league matches, while six-time BPL champion Dhaka Abahani Ltd became third in the league with 32 points.

Star studded Bashundhara Kings earned a rare feat of winning the treble in the season for the first time, winning the season's all three major football trophies-the Independence Cup, Federation Cup, and BPL.

In the day's match in Gopalganj, Brazilian midfielder Bruno Goncalves put the popular sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani ahead in the 13th minute (1-0), while local forward Arif Hossain restored parity for the black and white Mohammedans in the 29th minute (1-1).

Arif Hossain again came to rescue the Mohammedan SC, scoring the match winner, netting his second goal in the 90th minute of the match (2-1).

In the day's other match, Bashundhara Kings, which clinched the BPL Football title for a record fifth consecutive time with three matches spare, came from behind to beat Sheikh Russel KC by 3-1 goals at their home ground, the Bashundhara Kings Arena in the city, on Wednesday afternoon.

Servian forward V Balabanovic put the Sheikh Russel KC ahead in the 14th minute of the match (1-0), while Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira Damasceno levelled the margin for the Bashundhara Kings in the 47th minute (1-1).

Local forward Rakib Hossain scored the second goal for the Kings in the 76th minute (2-1), while promising striker Sheikh Morsalin sealed the fate of the match by scoring the third goal for the Kings in the 78th minute (3-1).

After the day's league matches, Bashundhara Kings secured 45 points from 18 matches to be the league champions, earning 10 points more than their nearest rivals and league runners-up Mohammedan SC, which bagged 35 points from 18 encounters.

In the day's other matches, Fortis FC defeated Chittagong Abahani Ltd by 3-1 goals, Rahmatganj MFS beat Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by 2-0 goals, and Bangladesh Police FC defeated relegated side Brothers Union Club by 2-0 goals at different venues across the country on Wednesday.