Fortis thrash Arambagh 4–0 to claim group B summit

Fortis FC finally registered their first victory in the Bangladesh Federation Cup as they thrashed Arambagh 4–0 on Tuesday at the Bashundhara Kings Arena, moving to the top of Group B.

Fortis had drawn their opening two matches of the tournament, first coming from ahead to share points in a 1–1 draw against Mohammedan Sporting Club, before holding defending champions Bashundhara Kings to another 1–1 draw with a last-gasp goal. However, Masud Parvez Kaiser’s side made no mistake in their third outing, securing all three points in emphatic fashion.

With this win, Fortis now have five points from three matches and leapfrog Mohammedan to claim the top spot in the group. Mohammedan have four points from two matches, while Bashundhara Kings sit on one point from a single game. Arambagh, meanwhile, remain rooted to the bottom of the table after suffering their second consecutive defeat.

Arambagh’s struggles continue in the Federation Cup, much like their disappointing performances in the Bangladesh Football League, as the club once again failed to find form.

On Tuesday match Fortis opened the scoring in the 26th minute when Sajed Hasan Jummon controlled a cross brilliantly before firing home a powerful right-footed shot. The lead was doubled in the 33rd minute as Pa Babou converted from the penalty spot after being fouled inside the box.

Arambagh conceded twice more in a seven-minute spell in the second half. Onyekachi Okafor struck in the 68th minute, followed by Mursed Ali’s goal in the 75th, sealing a comfortable victory for the in-form Fortis side.

The match was part of the Federation Cup Group B fixtures. Another Group B match scheduled for the same day will now be played on 23 December, as the much-anticipated clash between Bashundhara Kings and Mohammedan Sporting Club has been postponed due to security concerns and venue complications.

On that day, two Group A matches are also scheduled. Brothers Union will face PWD at the Bashundhara Kings Arena, while Rahmatganj will take on Abahani Limited at the Shaheed Dhirendranath Dutta Stadium in Cumilla. Both matches are set to kick off at 2:30 pm. At the same time, the Kings–Mohammedan and Abahani–Rahmatganj matches are also scheduled, though one of the venues may be changed to accommodate the fixtures.