Football
Is it coming home? England looks to bring Women's World Cup trophy back to the birthplace of soccer
The rallying cry "It's Coming Home" is one game away from reality and the end of England's 57-year drought in global soccer.
Also read: 4 women, nat’l women's football team receive Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib Padak-2023
The World Cup trophy can return this Sunday to the birthplace of soccer for the first time since 1966. But if it happens, the journey back to England will be with the women's national team and not the men's.
The Lionesses have roared their way into their first Women's World Cup title game, Sunday against Spain. It is the first all-European final since 2003, when Germany beat Sweden.
Also read:Bruised Ronaldo scores twice to edge showdown with Messi
It has been a magical ride for both teams: England has been on top of the global game since winning the European Championship last summer, and Spain is in its first final less than a year since 15 players quit the team in protest.
But England was expected to be here, and all around the world, in pubs and at viewing parties, England supporters have been singing "It's Coming Home," the unintentional reminder that the soccer team hasn't won the World Cup since 1966. The men's team was the winner that year, and the Lionesses' appearance in Sunday's title game is England's first finale in the 57 years since.
Also read:Messi scores early in 1st game outside Florida for Inter Miami at FC Dallas
England's return to prominence has been led by coach Sarina Wiegman, who was hired in late 2021 as the team's first non-British manager. Wiegman is now back in her second consecutive finale, and the only coach in the history of the tournament to take two nations to the final.
Wiegman was coach of the Netherlands when the Dutch lost 2-0 to the United States in 2019.
"Every step has been really, really hard. But again, we find a way," she said. "And I think the opponents, the women's game has grown so much that it's really hard to get through. So I know it's very, very special and that's how it feels, too."
Wiegman is after he second major trophy at the helm of England after guiding the Lionesses' to their first European championship last year.
England is coming off a 3-1 victory over host Australia in the semifinal, the second consecutive game played without leading scorer Lauren James. She was suspended against Colombia and Australia for stomping on a Nigerian player following a tackle in the knockout round.
The 21-year-old has three goals and three assists in this World Cup and apologized to her teammates for the split-second play on field that forced England to push its way through the tournament without the Chelsea midfielder.
Spain, meanwhile, has defied expectations in the World Cup by reaching the final despite a near-mutiny by players last fall. Spain saw 15 players quit the national team citing mental health concerns. The players called on the federation to create a more professional environment.
Three of those players — midfielder Aitana Bonmati, forward Mariona Caldentey and defender Ona Batlle — reconciled with the federation and are back for the tournament. Jorge Vilda has thanked the federation for its support of the coach repeatedly during the tournament, and his players have said they are focused on the present.
Spain earned its spot in the final with a 2-1 victory over Sweden on Tuesday. Salma Paralluelo ended a scoreless stalemate with a goal in the 81st minute. After Sweden tied it, Olga Carmona scored the game winner in the final minute of regulation.
At the start of practice on Friday, 19-year-old Paralluelo was treated for what appeared to be a cramp in her left leg. Also absent was forward Alba Redondo, who was riding a stationary bike off to the side.
"We have all the squad ready for the final. We are going to be 100% ready, everyone is ready for the game. It's nothing to worry about," Batlle said.
In addition to the breakthrough goal against Sweden, Paralleulo scored the extra-time winner over the Netherlands in the quarterfinals.
"I play against her everyday in training. I knew what she was capable of before this tournament so seeing her do so well for Spain, I have seen that in training," said England's Lucy Bronze, a teammate of Paralleulo's on Spanish club Barcelona. Nine of the Spanish players are on Barcelona's squad, as well as two of the Lionesses.
Spain has not seen consistent play during the World Cup from two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, who tore her ACL before the 2022 European Championship and is still returning to form. But Bonmati's playmaking has helped in her absence.
La Roja also have the opportunity to bring home a new trophy, after the men's team won the World Cup in 2010. Spain's women have never won a major tournament.
"Now we have the chance to do it," Bonmati said. "It's magic. Unique."
Ligue 1 Crowns Kylian Mbappe as Player of the Season for the Fourth Time in a Row
Kylian Mbappe secures fourth consecutive Ligue 1 Player of the Season Award as PSG clinches record 11th title. With that award he became the only player to achieve it for four consecutive times. Previously Zlatan Ibrahimovic won three times in a row.
Mbappe’s Record in 22/23 Season at Ligue 1
Kylian Mbappe, the renowned Paris Saint-Germain star, achieved a remarkable feat in Ligue 1 on Sunday night. He secured his fourth consecutive title as the French League Player of the Season. The 24-year-old prolific striker has not only netted 28 goals in the league but has also claimed the title of the top goal scorer in Ligue 1 for a remarkable five consecutive times. This season he also assisted five goals.
31st Edition of the Trophées UNFP Ceremony
The ceremony took place in Paris, graced by the presence of numerous players. Mbappe became the winner, surpassing contenders such as Lionel Messi, Loïs Openda, Séko Fofana of Lens, and Jonathan David, the forward from Lille.
Mbappe, along with his teammate Nuno Mendes, who received the Young Player of the Year award, became the sole PSG representative to claim individual awards. Notably, Lionel Messi, and Gianluigi Donnarumma, did not secure the awards for the categories they were nominated in. However, Messi did not attend the ceremony as he went to Barcelona to watch the Coldplay concert.
Read more: Indonesia to Host Argentina In a Friendly Football Match on June 2023
By securing this award, Mbappe has now claimed the prestigious title of Ligue 1 Player of the Year for the fourth consecutive time. This remarkable achievement surpasses Zlatan Ibrahimovic's record of three awards, which he also earned during his time at PSG.
Continuing an extraordinary streak, Paris Saint-Germain has once again produced the Player of the Year, marking the seventh consecutive year of their dominance. This outstanding line includes notable players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2016), Edinson Cavani (2017), Neymar Jr (2018), and Kylian Mbappe (2019, 2021, and 2022).
Having been named Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year for three consecutive seasons (2017, 2018, 2019), Mbappe continued his dominance by capturing the coveted Player of the Year award for the subsequent four seasons, extending his winning streak to a remarkable eight trophies in a row, until 2023.
Will Mbappe Stay with PSG?
Based on reports, unless the 24-year-old exercises an option to extend his contract until 2025, his contract with PSG is set to expire next year. Amidst swirling rumors about the French star's potential departure from the club next year, he personally confirmed and reassured fans of his commitment to stay with PSG for the upcoming season. Nevertheless, Mbappe's exceptional talent has garnered interest from Real Madrid. So, we will have to wait one more season to see if Mbappe continues playing with PSG.
Read more: BAN vs AFG Series 2023: Fixtures, Schedules, Teams, Head-to-Head Records
Final Words
This outstanding achievement sets his status as one of the league's brightest stars and highlights his dominance on the football field. With each passing season, Mbappe continues to elevate his game, fascinating fans with his remarkable skills and goal-scoring ability. As he adds another award to his growing list of achievements, the football world eagerly awaits to witness the next chapter in Kylian Mbappe's illustrious career.
Indonesia to Host Argentina In a Friendly Football Match on June 2023
Recently, Indonesian football has been in the headlines for various negative reasons. Now it seems they got an opportunity to get out of those negative vibes. World champions Argentina will visit Indonesia to play friendly matches. Argentina will tour Asia in June and will play two friendly matches on this tour. It was already known that the world champions will face Australia in China next month. According to Reuters, Lionel Scaloni’s team will also travel to Indonesia.
Argentina vs Indonesia Friendly Match Schedule
Argentina will play a friendly match with Australia on June 15 in Beijing, China. After that, Lionel Messi’s team will catch the plane to Indonesia. The date of the friendly match between Argentina and Indonesia has not been finalized yet. However, the Argentina Football Association announced June 19 as a possible date.
Can This Friendly Match Help to Improve Indonesia’s Soccer Setbacks?
Currently, Argentina is hosting the FIFA U20 World Cup, which was supposed to take place in Indonesia. Argentina was chosen as the new host after mass protests in Indonesia. This World Cup will end on June 11, which started on May 20.
Read more: BAN vs AFG Series 2023: Fixtures, Schedules, Teams, Head-to-Head Records
The main issue in Indonesia was about hosting Israel. Israel is one of the participants in the U20 World Cup. During the draw of the tournament, it was seen that several Indonesian states were not willing to host Israel’s matches. As soon as this problem came to the front, the international organization of football, FIFA, canceled Indonesia from the status of the World Cup host.
Apart from this issue, there were 135 deaths from unintentional causes of domestic football in Indonesia. This loss of life occurred in the riots and stampede after the match between Arema FC and Persebaya Surabaya Club in Liga One. The mishap occurred in October 2022, in the Malang region of the country’s East Java. Eight months after the accident that shook the football world, Argentina is going to play a friendly match in the country. So, this match is expected to improve Indonesia’s condition regarding football.
Football is a very popular sport in Indonesia. But the country has not been able to make an impression on the global football arena. They participated in the 1938 World Cup while under Dutch rule, and that was their last foot on the world stage. More recently, however, Indonesian football fans have had a great occasion to celebrate. Last week, they won gold at the Southeast Asian Games for the first time since 1991.
Read more: Asia Cup Cricket 2023: Analysis of Group A
The arrival of Argentina is generating immense excitement throughout the country, and it is a source of great joy. Erick Thohir, the chief of the Indonesian Football Association, views this visit as a chance to bring about a positive change.
Argentina and Indonesia last met at the World Youth Championship. In 1979, the legendary Diego Maradona played for Argentina in Japan. Indonesia lost that match 5-0.
Final Words
It is not sure yet if Messi will participate in the friendly match between Argentina in Indonesia in June 2023. But it is believed that Argentina will visit with its full strength. Indonesia is ranked 149 in the FIFA rankings. Time will tell if Argentina will tour Asia with the World Cup-winning team. However, Asian Argentine fans have been waiting for the arrival of the world champions.
Read more: Asia Cup Cricket 2023: Analysis of Group B.
Bangladesh Team's Prospect in 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualification
The 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup is expected to take place on 7–20 April 2024. However, the qualification round for the final tournament has just started, and the Bangladesh U-17 Women’s team will play the second and last match on April 30, 2023. In the upcoming final tournament, a total of eight teams will participate. The host country and the top three teams from the previous tournament in 2019 will automatically qualify for the tournament. The remaining four teams will be determined through the qualification process. And Bangladesh will have to fight to be one of those four teams to play in the final tournament.
Bangladesh Squad in 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers
On Sunday, April 16, the Bangladesh Football Federation announced a 22-player squad for the upcoming qualifiers of the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup 2024 in Singapore. The U-17 national women’s team will participate in the three-team Group D of the qualifiers, played against Turkmenistan on April 26, and will play the hosts Singapore on April 30 at Jalan Besar Stadium in Kallang.
Bangladesh Squad
Goalkeepers: Jui Akter, Mahlathui Marma, and Songgita Rani Das.
Defenders: Arpita Biswas Arpita, Kanom Akter, Ananna Murmu Bithi, Mst Joynob Bibi Rita (vice-captain), Mst Ruma Akter (captain), Nadia Akter Juti, and Ritu Akter.
Midfielders: Kanon Rani Bahadur, Arifa Akter, Most Munki Akhter, Mst Oeyshi Khatun, Munne, Nusrat Jahan Mitu, and Puja Das.
Forwards: Mst Sagorika, Mst Sultana Akter, Sauravi Akanda Prity, Sree Moti Trishna Rani, Thuinuye Marma, and Umehla Marma.
Read More: AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup: Bangladesh to play hosts Singapore in a do-or-die match Sunday
Most of these players have experience playing in an international event such as the 2023 SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship. And some of the players had outstanding performances in the tournament. For example, Trishna Rani and Thuinuye Marma scored two goals against Bhutan. So, we can expect the same performance from them in the qualification round of the AFC U-17 Women’s Asia Cup. Apart from them, Sultana Akter, Sauravi Akanda Prity, Sagorika, and Munne may also have a great impact on the tournament.
Prospect of Bangladesh in 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Qualification
Previously the Bangladesh Football Federation did not allow the team to play in the Olympic qualifiers due to a financial crisis. After that, Bangladeshi football fans erupted in anger against the federation, and now the U-17 team started their qualification journey for the 2024 AFC U-17 Asia Cup.
Singapore hosts the AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup Indonesia 2024 qualifiers with the support of the Asian Football Confederation. Bangladesh is in Group D of the competition. The remaining two teams in Bangladesh’s group are hosts Singapore and Turkmenistan. Bangladesh will play one match each with Singapore and Turkmenistan in the ‘D’ group, where the Tigresses want to play in the second round as group champions. And Bangladeshi girls got a great start to achieving the goal. Bangladesh beat Turkmenistan by 6-0 at Jalan Besar Stadium.
From the beginning of the match, Bangladesh put pressure on Turkmenistan, and they were cornered by one attack after another. As a result, Bangladesh got the goal quickly. Midfielder Puja Das opened the scoring in 3 minutes. Forward Thuinuye Marma scored in the 5th minute to make it 2-0. Another goal came from her feet in the 53rd minute, which was the team’s fourth goal. In the 39th minute, defender and captain Ruma Akter made it 3-0. Forward Sauravi made it 5-0 with a penalty in the 60th minute. The sixth and final goal came in the 82nd minute from the penalty spot, scored by substitute forward Trishna.
Read More: AFC U-17 Women's Asian Cup: Bangladesh make flying start outplaying Turkmenistan by 6-0 goals
Bangladesh will play the second and final match against the host Singapore on April 30. However, most of the footballers in the U-17 team do not have experience playing on foreign fields. But according to coach Golam Rabbani, the girls are not afraid, and his words have been proven in the first game against Turkmenistan. So, we can see a great prospect reaching this team in the final tournament. Also, this team played in the 2023 SAFF U-17 Women’s Championship, where Bangladesh beat Bhutan and India. So, the experience from SAFF U-17 will also come in handy for the girls.
Final Words
So far, Indonesia, Japan, North Korea, and China qualified for the final tournament automatically. And after the qualification round, Australia, Vietnam, the Philippines, and India secured the second round. Bangladesh must need a win against Singapore today to secure the second round in the 2024 AFC U-17 Women’s Asian Cup qualification.
Iran thrash Turkmenistan 7-1 to start AFC U-20 Women's Asia Cup qualifiers
Iran thumped Turkmenistan 7-1 Wednesday to start their Group H match of the AFC U-20 Women's Asia Cup qualifiers at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mustafa Kamal Stadium in the capital's Kamalapur.
They dominated the first half 4-0. Midfielder Hasti Forouzandeh made a hat-trick, with goals in the 47th, 67th and 901st minutes. Captain and striker Mohaddeseh Zolfu struck twice (28th and 42nd); Rahil Jafari (37th) and Kimia Rahiminia (48th) netted one goal each.
Mingazova Kamila pulled one back for Turkmenistan in the 76th minute.
Bangladesh, placed in Group H with Iran and Turkmenistan, will start their campaign by taking on Turkmenistan Friday at 5pm. The hosts will face a stronger Iran Sunday in the last group match.
AFC U-20 Women's Asia Cup Qualifiers to begin tomorrow
The three-nation Group H matches of the AFC U-20 Women's Asia Cup Qualifiers will begin tomorrow (March 8) at the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Shipahi Mohammad Mustafa Kamal Stadium here.Hosts Bangladesh have been placed in strong Group H of the Asian meet along with the Islamic Republic of Iran and Turkmenistan. In the group matches, Iran will play Turkmenistan in the opening match at 5 pm tomorrow (Bangladesh time),Host Bangladesh will start their campaign by taking on Turkmenistan on Friday (March 10) also at 5 pm while Bangladesh will encounter stronger Iran on Sunday (March 12) at the same time and same venue in the last group match.Bangladesh Television will telecast the matches live while Bangladesh Betar will broadcast the running commentary of the matchesThe final round of the tournament will be held next year in Uzbekistan.The coaches and captains of all three participating teams, in a press conference at BFF House today, expressed their optimism to play an entertaining football to clinch the group titleEarlier last Thursday, Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) announced a 35-member national team for the meet, which comprises 23 booters and 12 officials.Booters of Bangladesh team:Goal Keppers: Rupna Chakma (vice-captain), Sathi Biswas, Swarna Rani MondalDefenders; Surma Jannat, Afeida Khandakar, Nasrin Akter, Kohati Kisku, Ety Khatun and Unnoti KhatunMidfielders: Swapna Rani. Sohagi Kisku, Mahfuza Khatun, Nouson Jahan, Miss Rupa, Rehena Khatun, Shamsunnahar (captain). Halima Akter and Trishna RaniForwards: Shaheda Akter Ripa, Aklima Khatun, Anika Tanjum, Airin Khatun and Souravi Akhand Prity.Team Leader -Zakir Hossain Chowdhury, Team Manager Amirul Islam Babu, BFF Technical Director -Paul Thomas Smalley, Head Coach - Golam Rabbani Choton.
Youth Games: Rangpur, Rajshahi divisions reach women's football final
Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions reached the final of the women's football at the Sheikh Kamal 2nd Bangladesh Youth Games 2023 after winning the semi-finals at the BFF Artificial Turf in Motijheel Wednesday.
In the women's semi-final, Rangpur made the final after thrashing Chattogram 7-2 riding on four goals from Swapna.
Also, Rivana netted two goals in the 57th and 71st minutes; Mowrashi scored one.
Menti Chakma scored both goals for Chattogram in the 75th and 88th minutes.
Read more: Malan century guides England home as Tigers bemoan batting woes
In today's other semi-final, Rajshahi managed to secure their place in the final after beating Dhaka 3-2 in the tie-breaker as the regular time ended in a 0-0 draw.
The men's gold medal match between Rangpur and Rajshahi divisions will be held Friday at 3 pm at the Paltan Maidan Outer Stadium.
Lionel Messi Won The Best FIFA Men's Player Prize For 2022, Records
Lionel Messi, often considered one of the greatest football players of all time, has once again been crowned The Best FIFA Men's Player award. This prestigious award, which recognizes the world's top footballer, was presented to Messi at a glitzy ceremony held in Paris. This is the second time that Messi has won the award after it got separated from the Ballon d’Or in 2016. The Argentine forward had an outstanding year, leading Argentina to the World Cup trophy, where he was also named the tournament's best player.
A Brief History of The Best FIFA Men's Player Award
The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award is an annual award presented by the world governing body of football, FIFA. It was established in 2016 as part of a revamp of the FIFA World Player of the Year prize, which was presented between 1991 to 2015.
Initially, the FIFA awards were given to the world's best men's football players, while similar awards for both males and females were presented between 2001 and 2009. In 2010, the men's award was merged into the FIFA Ballon d'Or, while the women's award remained until 2015. After 2015, both men's and women's awards were integrated into The Best FIFA Football Awards.
Read More: FIFA World Cup 2022: Messi’s Records, Argentina’s Road to Victory
The award is presented to the player deemed to have performed the best in the previous calendar year, as determined by a voting process involving captains and head coaches of international teams, as well as journalists and fans. 25% of the total vote is held by each group.
The inaugural winner of The Best FIFA Men's Player Award was Cristiano Ronaldo, who was then playing for Real Madrid. Ronaldo went on to win the award again in 2017, making him the only player to win it twice in the first three years of its existence.
In 2018, Luka Modrić broke Ronaldo's streak by winning The Best FIFA Men's Player Award for the first time. After that, Messi won it in 2019. In 2020, Robert Lewandowski was awarded the title after an exceptional year with Bayern Munich.
Read More: Messi voted best player at FIFA awards again
Overview of Lionel Messi's Career in 2022
Messi passed a magical year in 2022. He appeared in 51 games for clubs and the national team. He scored 35 goals in total and had 35 assists. Among these 35 goals, he scored 17 goals for his club Paris Saint-Germain and 18 goals for Argentina. However, above all, his outstanding performance in the World Cup exceeds all his previous achievements.
At the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, Argentina's Lionel Messi had a tournament to remember. In the opening match against Saudi Arabia, Messi scored from the penalty spot in a 2–1 defeat. In the next match against Mexico, Messi scored a low 20-yard strike and recorded an assist on Enzo Fernández's goal in Argentina's 2–0 win.
In the last 16 games versus Australia, Messi scored the opening goal of the game on his 1,000th senior career appearance, becoming the most-capped South American (CONMEBOL member) footballer of all time. He also surpassed and equaled several FIFA World Cup and national team records.
Read More: Ronaldo set to face PSG, Messi in first game in Saudi Arabia
In the quarter-final against the Netherlands, Messi assisted the first goal for Nahuel Molina with a reverse pass before scoring a penalty as the game ended 2–2 after extra time, and Argentina won 4–3 in the penalty shootout.
In the semi-final against Croatia, Messi made a record-equalling 25th World Cup finals appearance, drawing level with Germany's Lothar Matthäus, and scoring the opening goal with a penalty before assisting Julián Álvarez’s goal in a 3–0 win. With his 11th World Cup goal, Messi overtook Gabriel Batistuta to become Argentina's all-time top scorer at the World Cup. Messi then declared the final against France to be his last World Cup appearance.
Read More: Argentine foreign minister will visit Dhaka late Feb, asked to bring Messi with him: Momen
Lionel Messi Won the Best FIFA Men's Player Prize For 2022
In 2022, Lionel Messi was awarded the Best FIFA Men's Player prize, making him the third individual to receive the honor twice, following in the footsteps of Cristiano Ronaldo (2016, 2017) and Robert Lewandowski (2020, 2021). The last time Messi won The Best award was in 2019.
Lionel Messi made history at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, becoming the sixth player to score in every knockout round of the world cup. His impressive performance included 7 goals and 3 assists, with his most impressive contribution coming during the final at Lusail, where he scored a brace. It was a remarkable achievement for Messi, who had never accomplished such a feat in his international career prior to Qatar.
Kylian Mbappé was another contender for this award. Mbappé had 44 points, while Messi won The Best with 52 points. Voting for the FIFA The Best men's awards took into account performances from August 2021 to December 2022, with a particular emphasis on the FIFA men's World Cup, which ended in December of the same year.
The award ceremony was designed to recognize the efforts of all participants throughout the world cup as well as the club, ensuring that everyone's accomplishments were acknowledged.
Following is the resulting breakdown for The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2022.
Rank
Player
Points
Coaches
Captains
Media
Fans
1.
Lionel Messi (PSG / Argentina)
52
728
717
836
1,345,851
2.
Kylian Mbappe (PSG / France)
44
478
395
433
391,676
3.
Karim Benzema (Real Madrid / France)
34
230
301
304
200,009
Read More: Bruised Ronaldo scores twice to edge showdown with Messi
Final Words
Lionel Messi's technical skills, breathtaking goals, and exceptional performances have earned him worldwide acclaim, making him a true legend in the world of football. His remarkable goalscoring record, his ability to lead his team to victory, and his commitment to the game make him a truly deserving recipient of The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2022.
BPL Football: Bashundhara take unbeaten run to nine matches beating Sheikh Jamal 3-0
Defending champions Bashundhara Kings earned their ninth straight win in the eleven-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football, beating Sheikh Jamal 3-0 Saturday at the Bashundhara Sports Complex in the capital.
Runaway league leader Bashundhara secured 27 points. Second-placed Dhaka Abahani earned 18 points from eight matches.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club remained in the fifth slot with 12 points from eight matches.
Read: BCB congratulates Women's U-20 football team for winning SAFF U-20 Championship
In today's match, Uzbek midfielder Asror Gafurov put the Kings ahead in the 37th minute (1-0). Brazilian forward Dorielton Gomes netted two more goals in the 60th and 74 (3-0).
In the day's other match, Rahmatganj Muslim Friend Society beat Chittagong Abahani 1-0 at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj.
After a barren first, Mohammad Enamul scored the winner for Old Dhaka club Rahmatganj MFS in the 79th minute (1-0).
Rahmatganj MFS advanced to the eighth spot in the league table, securing eight points from as many matches. Chittagong Abahani remained in 10th place with four points from eight matches.
BPL Football: Dhaka Abahani beat Sheikh Jamal 2-1 to continue unbeaten run
Former champions Dhaka Abahani continued their unbeaten run in the eleven-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football after beating Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club 2-1 at the Sheikh Fazlul Haque Moni Stadium in Gopalganj on Saturday.
With today's win, the Dhanmondi club remained in the second spot in the league table, securing 18 points from eight matches. Defending champions Bashundhara Kings topped the table with 24 points from eight straight matches.
With their first defeat in the league, former champions Sheikh Jamal slipped to the fourth spot with 12 points from seven matches
In today's match, Nigerian forward Peter Nworah put Abahani ahead in the 10th minute (1-0). Costa Rica forward Daniel Colindres doubled the lead in the 34th minute (2-0).
St Vincent and the Grenadines forward Stewart pulled one back for Sheikh Jamal in the 70th minute from a penalty (2-1).
In the day's other league match, Sheikh Russell beat Azampur Football Club Uttara 1-0 at the Bashundhara Sports Complex in the afternoon.
After a goalless first half, Didier scored the winner for Sheikh Russell in the 55th minute from a penalty.
Raihan of Azampur FC received a direct red card.
In the day's other match, Bangladesh Police advanced to the third spot in the league table after beating Rahmatganj MFS 2-0 at the Birshreshtha Shaheed Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj in the afternoon.
Kyrgyz defender Malikov scored first for Police FC in the 22nd minute from a penalty (1-0) while midfielder Mateo doubled their lead in the 72nd (2-0).
Police FC advanced to the third spot in the league after securing 12 points from eight matches with a positive goal difference.
Also read: BPL Football: Bashundhara Kings continue unbeaten run beating Sheikh Russell 3-1