Mariners win maiden title

Dhaka Mariner Youngs Club clinched their first-ever title in top flight hockey when they handed a 3-2 defeat to Usha Krira Chakra in the final game of the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium on Friday.

A draw in this match would have been enough for the Motijheel outfit to win their maiden title in their 27-year top-flight hockey, but they deservedly won the match after coming back from two goals down to deny defending champions Usha KC. 

The 13th consecutive win meant Mariners finished the 12-team league with 43 points, five ahead of four-time champions Usha KC.

Usha had got off to a fine start to score two goals within first 15 minutes through Hasan Jubair Niloy and Pushkor Khisha Mimo. But Mariners came back strongly at the other end of a crowd trouble, which  halted the match for 15 minutes.

Pakistani recruits Waqas Sharif, Arshad Hossain and Isteaque Ahmed scored one goal apiece in the 26th, 50th and 68th minutes to write a new chapter in domestic hockey history.