Arambagh march on

Saif Sporting Club lost more ground in the Bangladesh Premier League title race after being held to a 2-2 draw by Farashganj SC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

The newcomers had to come from a goal down to salvage a point, which took their tally to 27 from 14 matches, eight behind league leaders Chittagong Abahani. Farashganj, meanwhile, remained at the bottom of the table with seven points from the same number of matches.

Farashganj took the lead in the 11th minute when Mohammad Alamgir tapped in after goalkeeper Pappu Hossain failed to grip a Lamine Camara header. But the lead lasted only three minutes as Camara's handball earned Saif SC a penalty, which was dispatched by Wedson Anselme.

Jewel Rana then gave Saif SC the lead one minute into the stoppage time of the first half, but Farashganj hit back through Mohammad Shamim two minutes later.

Saif SC created a few scoring chances after the break, but Wedson's effort rattled the post while Farashganj goalkeeper Mamun Alif stood tall to foil the other attempts.    

Meanwhile, Arambagh KS avenged their first-leg 2-0 defeat by inflicting an identical margin defeat on Mukitjoddha Sangsad in the day's first match. The win lifted Arambagh to eighth position with 14 points while Muktijoddha remained in 11th position with their previously earned eight points.

Arambagh, who struggled in the first leg of the league and managed only two wins and a draw in 11 matches, have been in fantastic form from the start of the second leg. The charges of Maruful Haque have posted two wins and a draw in their first three matches after the mid-season break.

They came into this match on the back of a morale-boosting draw against Saif SC and took the match away from Muktijoddha Sangsad after scoring twice within the first seven minutes.

Striker Sohel Rana opened the scoring by driving home a rebound in the fourth minute after a clearance from Muktijoddha Sangsad defender Shahidul Haque came off the crossbar and onto his path.

Three minutes later, captain Mahbubur Rahman Sufil released a perfect cross from the left flank which Rajon Mia drove home.

Despite taking a two-goal cushion, Arambagh kept playing attacking football and created a number of scoring chances but the forwards could not cash in on those opportunities. However, they had the satisfaction of registering their second win in three matches.