Kings make solid start

Defending champions Bashundhara Kings made a solid start in the season’s curtain-raiser football meet Walton Federation Cup 2020 as they beat the last year runners-up Rahamatgonj Muslim Friends Society by 3-0 goals in the opening match at Bangabandhu National Stadium (BNS) in the capital on Tuesday. Argentine-born Chilean forward Raul Oscar Becerra and Robson Azevedo da Silva Robinho netted one goal each for the winning team while a suicidal own goal by Rahamatgonj’s Egyptian defender Alaaeldin Naser Flsayed Eissa sealed the fate of the match. Kings appeared in the field leaving behind their eight national booters including joint skippers Topu Barman and Tawhidul Alam Sabuz, Biplo Ahmed, Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, Kazi Tariq Raihan, Sushanto Tripura, Rabiul Hasan and Atiqur Rahman Fahad. Goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico led the team as two midfielders namely Md Matin Miah and Masuk Mia Jony, who had been sidelined for a long time due to their respective injuries, returned to the squad. Kings other two foreigners namely Brazilian forward Robson Azevedo da Silva Robinho and Iranian defender Khaled Shafiei were in the playing eleven. Rahamatgonj MFS appeared on the field with their lone foreigner namely Egyptian defender Alaaeldin Naser Flsayed Eissa as the other three foreigners, Tajik forward Dilshod Vaisev, Tajik defender Khurshed Beknazaov and Ivorian forward Lorougnon Crist Remi, failed to arrive before the match day. Kings put pressure on their lowly opponents from the very beginning of the game, but their attackers wasted a lot of chances. A volley from Argentine-born Chilean forward Raul deflected wide in the 2nd minute while Brazilian forward Robinho shot off target in the 10th minute. The misfortunes followed Raul as the 33-year-old Brazilian wasted another close chance in the 12th minute. On the other hand, Rahamatgonj were busy keeping their opponents’ attackers at bay rather than launching attacks. Kings finally got the first breakthrough while their Argentine-born Chilean forward Raul Becerra opened the account in the 43rd minute with an eye-catching header, off a free-kick from Brazilian midfielder Jonathan da Silveira Fernandes Reis (1-0). Kings continued their performance in the second half and bagged another goal in the 54th minute. This time, Robinho doubled the margin utilising a misunderstanding among Rahmatgonj players. Rahmatganj goalkeeper Rasel Mahmud Limon tried to provide the ball to their defender Mahmudul Hasan Kiron but unmarked Robson grabbed the ball coming from behind before his successful 35-yarder found the back of the net (2-0). In the 65th minute, a miscued header from Rahamatgonj’s Egyptian defender Alaaeldin Nasr extended Kings margin 3-0 while he was trying to clear the ball from goalmouth after an attempt by Kings substitute midfielder Emon Mahmud. However, Kings got some more chances in the second half to extend their margin. Robinho's right-footed drive from inside the box narrowly missed the target in the 61st minute after Jonathan’s low shot was denied by Rahamatgonj goalkeeper Rasel Mahmud Liton in the 50th minute. Liton denied another close shot from Kings forward Md Ibrahim in the 71st minute. Kings will take on Chattogram Abahani Ltd in their second and last Group C match at the same venue on December 28 at 5:00pm. Country’s first sports centred satellite TV channel, T-Sports, a sister concern of Bashundhara Group’s East West Media Group Limited, will telecast the match. In the next matches on Wednesday, Saif SC will face Uttar Baridhara SC at 3:15 pm and Arambagh KS to take on Brothers Union Ltd at 5:45 pm, both at the same venue.