SPORTS REPORTER

League leaders Bashundhara Kings stumbled in the Bangladesh Football League (BFL), playing out a 1-1 draw against Rahmatganj MFS after being forced to field an all-local eleven as three of their foreign recruits skipped the crucial tie in Munshiganj over alleged unpaid wages.

Five-time champions Bashundhara Kings, who have already received 10 FIFA registration bans over unpaid wages to players and coaches, took to the field without any foreign players for the first time this season.

However, it was learned that Nigerian defender Emmanuel Tony, forward Emmanuel Sunday and Brazilian striker Dorielton Gomes had also skipped training sessions prior to the game, demanding their dues be cleared. They reportedly issued an ultimatum, refusing to play the match unless their wages were settled before Friday’s fixture.

When The Daily Star tried to contact club president Imrul Hasan and manager Wasimuzzman, none of the officials responded.

There were also whispers that club officials persuaded the local players to take the field by pledging to clear part of the payments by next week. However, Kings dropped points after three straight wins, during which Dorielton and Sunday had combined for six of the seven goals scored by the team in their last three league matches.

Despite the stalemate, Kings remain top of the 10-team table with 28 points from 13 matches. Rahmatganj’s Ernest Boateng cancelled out Shahrear Emon’s 13th-minute opener in first-half stoppage time, before both sides were reduced to 10 men in the second half.

The result allowed contenders Abahani to close in on the title race to second place, reducing the gap to three points, following an emphatic 3-1 win over Bangladesh Police FC in Gazipur.

Meanwhile, at the Bashundhara Kings Arena, 10-man Fortis FC played out a goalless draw against lowly Arambagh KS, while Mohammedan SC registered a 3-0 win over Fakirerpool Young Men’s Club in Cumilla, with Joy Ahamed, Jewel Mia, and Rafayel Tudu scoring one goal each.