Goals galore as Bangladesh Premier League kicks off

Sixteen goals were scored across three matches as the 17th edition of the Bangladesh Premier League – the country's top-tier professional league – kicked off on Friday, with defending champions Bashundhara Kings and runners-up Mohammedan notching massive wins.

Kings handed a 7-0 defeat to Chittagong Abahani at the Bashundhara Kings arena while Mohammedan inflicted a 6-0 defeat on newcomers Dhaka Wanderers Club at the Shaheed Barkat Stadium in Gazipur.

At Flight Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Mymensingh, Brothers Union defeated Bangladesh Police 2-1, thanks to Gambian duo Mady Ceesay and Zakaria Darboe scoring either side of Manik Hossain Mollah's equaliser.

The foreign forwards dominated the scoresheets as expected but six local forwards also got on the scoresheets on the opening day.

Fresh from a 3-1 win over Mohammedan in the Challenge Cup, five-time champions Kings made light work of troubled Chittagong Abahani despite the absence of last season's Brazilian duo of Dorielton Gomes and Robson Robinho.

Romanian coach Valeriu Tita is perhaps happy to see local players like Faisal Ahmed Fahim, Rakib Hossain and Mojibur Rahman Jonny sharing the spotlight alongside French signing Jared Khasa and Brazilian midfielder Miguel Ferreira in the 7-0 victory.

Kings dominated the port-city outfit at their home venue and took a third-minute lead with Khasa scoring with a placing shot before Fahim doubled the lead with a diagonal shot that kissed the net after hitting the far post in the 23rd minute.

Fahim then set up Ferreira for the third goal six minutes later before Khasa made it to 4-0 with a simple tap-in on a square pass from Rakib in the 39th minute.

After resumption, Kings held their dominance and added three more goals with substitute Jonny netting one and Rakib scoring two goals within 10 minutes.

Mohammedan players celebrate one of their six goals against Dhaka Wanderers. Photo: BFF

In Gazipur, Mohammedan also toyed with Dhaka Wanderers Club, who returned to the top-flight football after 19 years.

The Black and Whites took only five minutes to make the first inroad with a placing shot from Nigerian forward Emmanuel Sunday before Minhajur Abedin capitalised on a fumble from Wanderers' goalkeeper Saiful Islam Khan to double the lead in the 19th minute.

Long-serving captain Souleymane Diabate made it 3-0 with an effortless header before the break as Mohammedan went into the break with a comfortable lead before adding three more after in the last 15 minutes to wrap an easy win.

Ghanaian forward Ernest Boateng widened the margin with a placing shot in the 80th minute and nine minutes later Diabate scored his second with a chip while Sourav Dewan sealed off the victory with a tap-in in stoppage time.