Five-star Diabate helps MSC pummel Brothers

Souleymane Diabate bagged his first five-goal haul in a professional match as Mohammedan Sporting Club hammered relegation-threatened Brothers Union 8-0 in the Bangladesh Premier League at the Rafique Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh on Saturday.

The Malian forward, who scored all four goals against Abahani in a spellbinding performance in the Federation Cup to lead his side to the Federation Cup title last season, eclipsed his previous best by shipping five goals past Brothers' hapless keeper Saiful Islam in the thoroughly one-sided spectacle.

The five goals helped the Mohammedan skipper top the scorers' chart with 13 goals – three ahead of Abahani's Grenadian forward Cornelius Stewart.

The 33-year-old forward scored his first with a tap-in two minutes before the break and doubled his tally by rounding off the Brothers keeper following a neat one-two with a fellow forward two minutes into first half's stoppage time.

The Mohammedan linchpin added one more to his tally with a diving header 23 minutes after restart before grabbing his fourth with a solo effort four minutes later. Diabate then clinched the record-breaking fifth goal in the 88th minute, calmly rounding off the keeper following a through ball into the box.

Shahriar Emon, Jewel Mia and Emmanuel Agbaji scored the other three goals for the Black and Whites, who are the only unbeaten club in the league this season.

Mohammedan had won 5-1 in the first leg of the league against Brothers, who have conceded 46 goals so far against 14 that they have scored.

The win kept Alfaz Ahmed's charges firmly in second position with 26 points from 12 matches while fallen giants Brothers remained rooted to the bottom of the table with only three points from 12 matches.

Meanwhile, defending champions Bashundhara Kings held on to their lead with a hard-fought 1-0 win against Fortis FC at the Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi, thanks to a 23rd minute strike from Miguel Ferreira. The win helped Kings retain their five-point cushion over Mohammedan with 31 points from 12 matches.

The other match of the day saw Chittagong Abahani beat Rahmatganj MFS 2-1 at the Shaheed Bir Shreshtho Ft Lt Mortiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj, with both teams now on 10 points.