Defending champions Bashundhara Kings and six-time champions Abahani Limited started their second-leg campaign of the Bangladesh Premier League in style on Saturday.
Kings beat bottom-placed Chittagong Abahani 2-0 at the Rafiq Uddin Bhuiyan Stadium in Mymensingh where forward Foysal Ahmed Fahim gave his team the lead in the 20th minute before Brazilian midfielder Miguel Damasceno doubled the margin 10-minutes later from a spot kick.
In the day鈥檚 other match, Abahani came from a goal down to thrash promoted Fakirerpool Young Men鈥檚 Club 6-1 at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium in Cumilla.
Abahani fell behind early in the 15th minute as forward Sayed Hossen Sayem put Fakirerpool ahead. However, it was one-way traffic for Abahani after midfielder Md Ridoy equalised for the Sky Blues in the 40th minute.
Forward Enamul Islam Gzai (54th, 60th) then made it 3-1 before forwards Mohammad Ibrahim (76th), Jafar Iqbal (86th), and Mirajul Islam (first minute of the stoppage time) scored once each.
Despite the wins, both Abahani and Kings remained in second and third places on the table with 23 and 20 points, respectively, from 10 games behind table toppers Mohammedan Sporting Club, who have 27 points from the same number of outings.
Earlier on the first day of the second leg on Friday, Mohammedan beat Dhaka Wanderers Club 3-0 in Cumilla, while Fortis Football Club beat Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society 3-1 in Dhaka, and Police Football Club managed a 1-0 win over Brothers Union in Mymensingh.
Following the day鈥檚 games, the league will have a month and a half off due to the Bangladesh national team鈥檚 third round encounter of the AFC Asian Cup 2027 qualifications against India on March 25 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium.
The league will resume on April 11.