The curtains came down on the 2024-25 Bangladesh Premier League in thrilling fashion, as Mohammedan Sporting Club secured the league title with a commanding 6-1 victory over Fakirerpool Youngmen's at the Gazipur Stadium on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, five-time consecutive champions Bashundhara Kings were left licking their wounds after finishing third, its lowest ever league finish since debuting in the top flight.
Mohammedan left no room for doubt as they brushed aside the Youngmen in emphatic style. Malian striker Souleymane Diabate was in unstoppable form, netting five times (in the 5th, 23rd, 39th, 71st and 90th), with Saurav Dewan adding the sixth in the 81st minute. The win saw Mohammedan finish top of the table with 42 points from 18 matches, boasting 13 wins. Youngmen, despite showing flashes of promise earlier in the campaign, remained 10th with 19 points.
On that day, Bashundhara Kings' empire falters at the Kings Arena. Bashundhara Kings managed to end their campaign on a high with a 5-3 win over relegated Dhaka Wanderers. However, the result was too little, too late for the reigning champions, who had to settle for third place with 32 points from 18 matches, a far cry from their usual dominance.
Dhaka Wanderers briefly drew first blood through Sadiq Ahmed, but their lead was short-lived. Sheikh Morsalin produced a stellar hat-trick while goals from Rabbi Hossain Rahul and Rakib Hossain sealed the deal. It was the Kings' ninth win of the season, yet their title defence never quite caught fire. For the first time in their illustrious league history, they missed out on both the championship and the runners-up spot.
Rahmatganj MFS ended its campaign on a high note with a convincing 4-1 win over Police FC at the Munshiganj Stadium. The star of the show was Boeteng, who scored a hat-trick to take his season tally to 16, enough to claim the Golden Boot. Diabate, with 14 goals, finished second in the race for top scorer. Rahmatganj finished fourth with 30 points, while Police FC slipped to sixth with 27.
With the final whistle of today's fixtures, the season also bid farewell to Dhaka Wanderers and Chattogram Abahani, both relegated from the top League after underwhelming campaigns.
As the domestic season draws to a close, Mohammedan can celebrate a triumphant return to the summit of Bangladeshi football.
