Curtain falls on Bashundhara’s dominant season in BPL

Newly crowned Bashundhara Kings played a 1-1 draw with Chattogram Abahani Limited in the last league match of the 13-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Saturday.

Brazilian forward Marcos Vinicius put the new champions Bashundhara Kings ahead in the 16th minute,  utilizing a pass from Costa Rican forward Daniel Colindres Solera (1-0).

After conceding the goal, Chattagram Abahani came alive and created strong pressure over the Bashundhara Kings with their attacking football.

Kyrgyz midfielder Daniel Nii Armah Tagoe leveled the margin for Chattagram Abahani in the 45th minute, converting a penalty (1-1).

Despite having several close chances, both sides failed to change results in the entire 2nd half of the match.

Star-studded Bashundhara Kings emerged as the new champions in their very first appearance in the 13-team prestigious league with two matches to spare after playing a 1-1 draw with traditional Dhaka Mohammedan SC at their home venue -- Sheikh Kamal Stadium -- in Nilphamari on July 25.

On the other hand, last two times champions Dhaka Abahani Limited finished runners-up crushing former champions Sheikh Jamal DC by 4-1 goals in their last league match at Bangabandhu National Stadium here on July 29.

Kings have secured 63 points from their  24 matches with 20 wins, 3 draws and one defeat, Dhaka Abahani Ltd finished their BPL campaign earning 58 points from 24 matches with 19 wins, one draws and 4 defeats while Sheikh Russel KC finished 3rd securing 52 points from all 24 matches with 16 wins, 4 draws and 4 defeats.

Team BJMC and newcomers NoFeL Sporting Club relegated to the lower division Bangladesh Championship League (BCL) Football.

Team BJMC collected 11 points from all 24 matches with 2 wins, 5 draws and 17 losses and NoFeL SC earned 20 points from all 24 encounters with 5 wins, 5 draws and 14 defeats.

Nigerian Striker of Sheikh Russel KC Raphael Odovin Onwrebe became the top scorer in the BPL 2018-19 season scoring 22 goals while his compatriot Sunday Chizoba of Dhaka Abahani Ltd finished 2nd scoring 20 goals.

Among others, promising Bangladeshi forward and Dhaka Abahani’s key player Nabib Newaj Jibon finished 3rd scoring 16 goals, Brazilian forward of Bashundhara Kings Marcos Vinicius finished 4th scoring 14 goals, Congolese striker of Rahamatganj MFS Siyo Zunapio Jeancy finished 5th scoring 13.

Striker Raphael Odovin Onwrebe of Sheikh Russel KC, Guinean striker of NoFeL SC Ismael Bangoura claimed two hat-tricks each in the league while Sunday Chizoba and Nabib Newaj Jibon of Dhaka Abahani Ltd, Ballo Famoussa of Muktijoddha SKC, Zahid Hossain and Matthew Chinedu of Arambagh KS, Motin Mia of Bashundhara Kings bagged one hat-trick each.

This year, 13 teams took part in the double-league BPL that began on January 18 last. A total of 156 matches, split into 26 rounds, held days at country’s six different venues.

Bashundhara Kings and NoFeL Sporting Club promoted to the BPL season 2018-19 from the Bangladesh Championship League (BCL) 2017.

Arambagh KS defeated Rahmatganj MFS by 6-3 goals in a high-scoring match of the season at the Rafiq Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh on July 20.

Bashundhara Kings recorded the biggest home win of the BPL season beating Brothers Union FC by 5-0 goals at Sheikh Kamal Stadium in Nilphamari on July 16 while Sheikh Russel KC booked the biggest away win of 6-1 goals against Muktijoddha SKC at Sheikh Fazlul Haque Mani Stadium in Gopalganj on July 24.

After the match, BPL champions and runners-up trophies for the season 2018-19 will be handed over to Bashundhara Kings and Dhaka Abahani Limited respectively.