B.League
Season2007
Dates2 March — 1 August
ChampionsAbahani Limited Dhaka
AFC President's CupAbahani Limited Dhaka
Matches played110
Goals scored273 (2.48 per match)
Top goalscorerNigeria Junior Obagbemiro (16 goals)
Biggest home winMohammedan SC 7–0 Chittagong Mohammedan SC
(20 June 2007)
Biggest away winRahmatganj MFS 0–7 Abahani Limited Dhaka
(23 June 2007)
Highest scoringMohammedan SC 7–1 Rahmatganj MFS
(13 April 2007)

The 2007 B.League was the 31st season of top-flight football in Bangladesh, and inaugural season of the country's first professional national football league, the B.League. The competitions included a total of 11 teams from which 8 were based in Dhaka, 2 from Chittagong and 1 team from Khulna. Sylhet DSA who were supposed to represent Sylhet withrew a month before the league began and the Bangladesh Football Federation decided against replacing them.[1][2]

Previously, the Dhaka League, also known as the Senior Division League, was the country's top-tier football competition. However, it was not held after the 2004–05 season, which ended on 12 September 2005.[3][4] Consequently, before the introduction of the professional league, the country went almost 18 months without any top-tier league football. Excluding the three relegated teams (Dhaka Wanderers, Fakirerpool YMC, and Dipali JS), seven teams from the previous top-flight season, along with Rahmatganj MFS, Chittagong Mohammedan SC, Chittagong Abahani, and Khulna Abahani SC, made up the inaugural season of the professional league.

Initially the season was set to start from January 2006 as part of The Vision Asia project guided by AFC.[5] However, after numerous delays the transfer window was opened on 15 December 2006.[6] The ceremonial draw for the competition was held on 22 February 2007.[7] On 28 February 2007, Channel i were given the rights to broadcast 40 matches from the league.[8] The league kicked off on 2 March 20007, with Abahani Limited Dhaka and Muktijoddha Sangsad KC playing out a goalles draw.[9] The a month-long mid-season transfer window opned on 16 May 2007.[10]

The league concluded on 1 August 2007, with Abahani Limited Dhaka winning the inaugural season.[11]

Teams

Initially, 12 teams were set to participate in the league; however, Sylhet DSA withdrew. The Dhaka Senior Division League, which was last held in 2004–05, served as the previous top-tier league. Excluding the three relegated clubs, the remaining seven clubs from that season, along with the 2004–05 Dhaka First Division League (second-tier from 1993 to 2005) champions, Rahmatganj MFS, were granted entry into the league.[12] Additionally, three clubs—Chittagong Mohammedan SC, Chittagong Abahani and Khulna Abahani SC—received direct entry into the league.[13]

Team Location Stadium Capacity
Abahani Limited Dhaka Dhaka Bangabandhu National Stadium 36,000
Mohammedan Sporting Club
Muktijoddha Sangsad KC
Rahmatganj MFS
Sheikh Russel KC
Arambagh Krira Sangha
Brothers Union
Farashganj SC
Chittagong Abahani Chittagong M. A. Aziz Stadium 20,000
Chittagong Mohammedan Sporting Club
Khulna Abahani SC Khulna Khulna District Stadium 15,000

Personnel and sponsoring

Team Head Coach
Arambagh KS Bangladesh Kazi Jolly
Brothers Union India Syed Nayeemuddin
Chittagong Abahani Bangladesh Sawpan Kumar Das
Chittagong Mohammedan Bangladesh Nazrul Islam Ledu
Abahani Limited Dhaka Bangladesh Amalesh Sen
Mohammedan SC Bangladesh Shafiqul Islam Manik
Farashganj SC Bangladesh Mir Mohammed Faruque
Khulna Abahani Bangladesh Hemayet Ullah
Muktijoddha Sangsad KC Bangladesh Abu Yusuf
Rahmatganj MFS Bangladesh Motaleb Hossain
Sheikh Russel KC Bangladesh Wazed Gazi

Coaching changes

Team Outgoing head coach Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in table Incoming head coach Date of appointment Source
Abahani Limited Dhaka Argentina Andres Cruciani Mutual Consent 7 May 2007 1 Bangladesh Amalesh Sen 8 May 2007 [14]

League table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Abahani Limited Dhaka (C) 20 14 5 1 36 8 +28 47 Qualification for the AFC President's Cup group stage
2 Mohammedan Sporting Club 20 11 7 2 40 13 +27 40
3 Muktijoddha Sangsad 20 9 6 5 29 19 +10 33
4 Sheikh Russel 20 8 9 3 23 13 +10 33
5 Brothers Union 20 8 5 7 32 19 +13 29
6 Arambagh Krira Sangha 20 8 3 9 22 23 −1 27
7 Chittagong Mohammedan Sporting Club 20 7 5 8 20 26 −6 26
8 Farashganj SC 20 5 7 8 17 22 −5 22
9 Khulna Abahani SC 20 4 4 12 21 43 −22 16
10 Chittagong Abahani 20 4 3 13 18 39 −21 15
11 Rahmatganj MFS 20 3 4 13 15 48 −33 13
Source: RSSSF
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored.
(C) Champions

Statistics

There have been 273 goals scored in 110 matches, for an average of 2.48 goals per match. Source: archive.bff.com.bd

Top scorers

Rank Player Club Goals
1 Nigeria Junior Obagbemiro Brothers Union 16
2 Nigeria Paul Mawachukwu Mohammedan SC 14
3 Nigeria Christina Emeka Mohammedan SC 12
Bangladesh Zahid Hasan Ameli Abahani Limited Dhaka
5 Bangladesh Alfaz Ahmed Muktijoddha Sangsad KS 8
Kenya Nicodemus Anunda Gichana Arambagh KS
Bangladesh Mohamed Hedayetullah Robin Farashganj SC
8 Morocco Touati Younes Sheikh Russel KC 7
9 Liberia Abraham Bobby Chittagong Abahani 6
Ghana Awudu Ibrahim Abahani Limited Dhaka
Uganda Iddi Badambuze Arambagh KS
Bangladesh Saifur Rahman Moni Muktijoddha Sangsad KS

Own goals

† Bold Club indicates winner of the match

Player Club Opponent Result Date
Bangladesh Sharif Khan Arambagh KS Brothers Union 1–3 3 April 2007
Bangladesh Mamun Khan Farashganj SC Rahmatganj MFS 1–1 3 April 2007

Hat-tricks

Player For Against Result Date Ref
Bangladesh Alfaz Ahmed Muktijoddha Sangsad KC Rahmatganj MFS 4–1 (N) 27 March 2007 [15]
Nigeria Junior Obagbemiro Brothers Union Rahmatganj MFS 6–2 (N) 10 May 2007 [16]
Nigeria Christina Emeka Mohammedan SC Chittagong Mohammedan SC 7–0 (H) 7 June 2007 [17]
Nigeria Junior Obagbemiro4 Brothers Union Khulna Abahani SC 5–0 (A) 10 June 2007 [18]
Bangladesh Zahid Hasan Ameli4 Abahani Limited Dhaka Rahmatganj MFS 7–0 (N) 7 June 2007 [19]
Nigeria Christina Emeka Mohammedan SC Rahmatganj MFS 3–1 (N) 7 July 2007 [20]

Awards

A prize distribution ceremony was held by the Bangladesh Football Federation on 5 August 2007.[21]

Individual

Award Player Club Reward
Highest Scorer Junior Obagbemiro Brothers Union Tk 25,000
Best Player Zahid Hasan Ameli Abahani Limited Dhaka Tk 25,000
Fair Play Trophy Chittagong Mohammedan SC

Prize Money

Position Club Prize Money
Champions Abahani Limited Dhaka Tk 5 lakh
Runners-up Mohammedan SC Tk 3 lakh
Third place Muktijoddha Sangsad KC Tk 2 lakh
Fourth place Sheikh Russel KC Tk 1 lakh

References

  1. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 950". archive.thedailystar.net.
  2. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 955". archive.thedailystar.net.
  3. ^ "No football this year". archive.thedailystar.net. Archived from the original on 28 October 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
  4. ^ "Booters demand Dhaka League". The Daily Star. 6 November 2007. Archived from the original on 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
  5. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 241". archive.thedailystar.net.
  6. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 956". archive.thedailystar.net.
  7. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 972". archive.thedailystar.net.
  8. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 977". archive.thedailystar.net.
  9. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 980". archive.thedailystar.net.
  10. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1036". archive.thedailystar.net.
  11. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1128". archive.thedailystar.net.
  12. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 948". archive.thedailystar.net.
  13. ^ "B. League 2006-2007". archive.bff.com.bd. Retrieved 2023-09-08.
  14. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1041". archive.thedailystar.net. Archived from the original on September 8, 2023.
  15. ^ "Russel, Mukti smile". archive.thedailystar.net. Archived from the original on August 8, 2023.
  16. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1045". archive.thedailystar.net.
  17. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1086". archive.thedailystar.net.
  18. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1076". archive.thedailystar.net.
  19. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1089". archive.thedailystar.net.
  20. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1097". archive.thedailystar.net.
  21. ^ "The Daily Star Web Edition Vol. 5 Num 1133". archive.thedailystar.net.

External links

Bangladesh Premier League
Bangladesh football seasons
2007 in Asian football (AFC)
Categories