Draw with Fortis extends MSC's title wait

Leaders Mohammedan SC came from behind to secure a 1-1 draw against Fortis FC at the Bashundhara Kings arena yesterday, a result that has potentially extended their wait of winning this season's Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

Before the game, Mohammedan needed nine points from five matches to secure their maiden professional league title.

But after earning one point against Fortis, the Motijheel-based outfit now could have to wait for their penultimate match or the last match to take the coveted trophy home if second-placed Abahani Limited don't slip up.

Mohammedan are at the top of the 10-team table with 35 points, eight points clear of closest rivals Abahani, who have played one match fewer and have a chance to close the gap with the leaders if they win today against Bangladesh Police FC.

In yesterday's match, both teams struggled under the scorching sun but Fortis FC fared a little better than Mohammedan on their home ground.

Fortis took the lead in the 23rd minute, with Piash Ahmed Nova capitalising on a defensive error.

Gambian Essa Jallow snatched a ball from a Mohammedan midfielder and ran into the danger zone before getting intercepted by Mohammedan defender Jahid Hasan Shanto. But the ball fell to unmarked Piash who made no mistake from a close range.

After resumption, Mohammedan equalised in the 73rd minute courtesy of a stunning goal from substitute Mahbub Alam.

The opportunity arose from a corner kick, which the Fortis defenders had initially cleared before Mahbub's spectacular left footer from 30 yards found its mark.

In the day's other two matches, hosts Brothers Union held third-placed Bashundhara Kings to a goalless draw in Munshiganj while Dhaka Wanderers Club notched up their third victory of the season, a 2-1 win over bottom-placed Chittagong Abahani, and are now breathing down the necks eighth-placed Fakirerpool Young Mens Club.

Meanwhile, there were also some uncertainty over the three league matches yesterday, as the referee panel had initially announced that they would not conduct the games until their unpaid wages were cleared by the Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF).

It has been learnt that the referees returned to their jobs after the BFF cleared Tk 18.86 lakh of their dues for the just concluded Federation Cup and promised to clear the rest of their unpaid wages in the BPL before Eid-Ul-Adha.

The BFF has so far cleared the dues of 25 of the 68 completed matches in BPL till yesterday.