Kingsley scores on ‘debut’ but Kings celebrate 100 in style

Eleta Kingsley marked his return to Bangladesh football with a goal, but saw defending champions Bashundhara Kings celebrate their 100th Bangladesh Premier League match with a 7-1 win against his new club, Brothers Unions, on Saturday.

Kingsley had played for Abahani last season but were let go by the Sky Blues. The Nigeria-born naturalized striker failed to get a suitor this season before Brothers, currently bottom of the 10-team table, came calling in the mid-season transfer window. Kingsley was even handed the captain's armband as the Gopibagh-based outfit looked to make a fresh start to the second phase of matches after having collected only three points in the first phase.

But the Oranges were up against a marauding Kings team out to celebrate their big occasion at the Rajshahi District Stadium. The four-time defending champions shipped in seven goals past their hosts – four in the first half and three after the break – while Kingsley scored the consolation goal for the Gopibagh-based outfit in the stoppage-time of the first half, heading in Mahbubur Rahman Sufil's cross to add some consolation to their massive defeat.

Saad Uddin got the champions off the blocks in the 20th minute before Robson Robinho, Miguel Figueira and Mfon Udoh got the new leviathans of Bangladesh football to a 4-0 lead by the 41st minute.

Following Kingsley's goal, Bashundhara added three more goals in the second half with Figueira and Udoh completing a brace each after Mohammad Sohel Rana had resumed the rout.

This was the biggest margin of victory in Bangladesh football this season and was also the 85th BPL win for Bashundhara Kings, who have also registered 10 draws and five defeats in their five seasons so far.

The win lifted Kings to 25 points from 10 matches, five ahead of Mohammedan Sporting Club in second place and seven more than Abahani, who thrashed Rahmatganj MFS 3-0 at the Shaheed Birshreshtho Ft Lt Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj.

It was the first match in Sky Blue jersey for Jamal Bhuiyan, who ended a brief stint in Argentina's third-tier football in acrimonious fashion recently. The Bangladesh captain, though, did not have a memorable debut as he was shown a yellow card towards the end of the first half and was taken off by coach Diego Cruciani at the break.

Abahani, however, cruised to a 3-0 win, thanks to second-half goals from Washington Brandao, Cornelius Stewart and Jonathan Fernandes.

The defeat left Rahmatganj second from bottom with seven points from 10 games.