Russel, Saif toil for wins

Sheikh Russel took sweet revenge for their Federation Cup drubbing at the hands of Chattogram Abahani with a 1-0 win over the port city outfit in a Bangladesh Premier League encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

A 43rd-minute header from Brazilian striker Lopes Rodrigues was enough for Sheikh Russel to exact revenge against Ctg Abahani, who saw off Sheikh Russel in the Federation Cup quarterfinals with a a 2-0 win.

With a third win, Sheikh Russel now share  second position with Abahani, both on 10 points, j two behind  leaders Bashundhara Kings. Ctg Abahani, meanwhile, are stuck to sixth place with six points from four matches.

Maruful Haque's Ctg Abahani and Saiful Bari Titu's Sheikh Russel displayed entertaining performances with The clear intention of securing three points in the match.

The 2012 champions came out successfully by cashing in on one opportunity while the 2018 league runners-up had to pay the prices for squandering good opportunities throughout the match.

Lopes utilised his height to rise high to easily nod a Siyovush Asrorov free-kick home two minutes before the break while Charles Didier's attempt was denied in his pursuit of  an equaliser by the woodwork.

In the day's second match, Saif Sporting Club came from one goal down to beat Muktijoddha Sangsad 2-1 and climb up to the fifth position with seven points from four matches.

Muktijoddha Sangsad stunned the Federation Cup runners-up in the 26th minute when Uzbek forward Akbarali Kholdarov beat goalkeeper Pappu Hossain with an angled shot from inside the box before Nigerian Emmanuel Ariwachukwu equalised with a header in the 35th minute.

Uzbek midfielder Sirojiuddin Rakhmatullaev wrapped up the victory with a powerful drive from inside the box in the 79th minute to give Saif a second win in four matches.