Abahani confirm second spot

With only one fixture left, the 2024–25 Bangladesh Premier League is all but wrapped up, and Abahani have secured the runners-up spot for a fifth time with a commanding 3-0 win over Brothers Union in Cumilla yesterday.

Champions Mohammedan Sporting Club had clinched the title with three matches in hand, but the battle for second place went down to the wire between six-time winners Abahani and reigning champions Bashundhara Kings.

At the Shaheed Dhirendranath Datta Stadium, goals from Asaduzzaman Bablu, Raphael Augusto and Mirajul Islam sealed the deal for the Sky Blues.

Abahani could have slipped to third with a loss, had Kings managed a bigger win. The Kings did end their campaign on a high, beating Dhaka Wanderers Club 5-3 at the Kings Arena in Dhaka, but it wasn't enough to reclaim second.

There had been doubts about Abahani's campaign early on, especially after the political transition in August last year, which affected their squad-building process. Yet, the Dhanmondi-based outfit impressed with a core of local talent and finished the season with two runners-up trophies.

Under coach AKM Maruful Haque, Abahani briefly looked poised to challenge Mohammedan for the title, but inconsistent results in the second phase saw them fall short. Still, they ended ahead of the Kings for the first time in six seasons.

Kings, who had won five straight league titles since their top-flight debut in 2018–19, failed to keep pace this year. A dip in form under their new coach and a low conversion rate in front of goal proved costly. Nevertheless, they salvaged their season by lifting the Challenge Cup and Federation Cup.

Mohammedan, meanwhile, ended their long wait for a maiden professional league title. A settled core -- with several players in their third or fourth season -- played a key role, especially in the first half of the campaign. Alhough they wobbled in the second phase, they capitalised on Abahani and Kings' inconsistency to stay ahead.

They capped off their triumphant campaign with a 6-1 thumping of Fakirerpool Young Men's Club, led by a five-goal blitz from captain Souleymane Diabate.

HIGHLIGHT

**Abahani finished ahead of the Kings for the first time in six seasons.

**Champions Mohammedan forward Soulemane Diabate signed off campaign striking five goals, including a first-half hattrick, against Fakirerpool.