Defending champions Mohammedan Sporting Club earned a 3-2 win over arch-rivals Abahani Limited as the Bangladesh Football League resumed after a one-month break with a new title sponsor – United Health Care.
Mohammedan went into the break with a 2-0 lead, with forward Rahim Uddin and Ghanaian defender Eli Keke Emmanuel scoring once each in the 20th and 32nd minutes, respectively, at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla.
Mohammedan went up 3-0 in the 50th minute with their other Ghanaian forward, Samuel Boateng, scoring before Abahani midfielder duo Papon Singh (73rd) and Shekh Morsalin (78th) pulled two goals back for the six-time champions.
It was Mohammedan’s eighth win over Abahani in their 35th meeting since the inception of the league in 2007. Despite their defeat, Abahani holds the upper hand in head-to-head encounters against Mohammedan with 14 wins and 13 draws.
With the win, Mohammedan are currently in seventh place of the 10-team league table with four points from three games, while Abahani are in eighth place with one point from the same number of outings.
Meanwhile, Brazilian forward Dorielton Gomes (75th and 85th) scored a brace in five-time champions and league leaders Bashundhara Kings’ 2-0 win over Arambagh Krira Sangha at the Shaheed Miraj-Tapan Stadium in Manikganj.
Kings are leading the table with seven points from three games.
In the day’s other games, second-placed Brothers Union earned a 2-0 win over Fakirerpool Young Men’s Club at the Birshreshtha Flight Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj, while the match between Fortis Football Club and Police Football Club ended in a goalless draw at the Kings Arena in the city.
Brothers’ Nepalese midfielder duo Sanish Shrestha (80th) and Arik Bista (83rd) scored once each for their side’s second consecutive win.
The title sponsor was renamed within 24-hour as the Bangladesh Football Federation on Sunday announced Malaysian Oil and Gas exploration and production company Petronas as the sponsor for the BFL.
A day after the BFF’s announcement, Petronas refuted the claim through a media release before the BFF announced United Health Care as the league sponsor on Monday.
