Fortis put their stamp on the Premier League Regular Season opener with a comprehensive 6-0 victory over Chittagong at home on Thursday. The hosts opened their campaign with authority, demonstrating the kind of efficiency that could see them climb from their current third-place position. To be fair, the result tells only part of the story about what transpired on the pitch.
Fortis took their first chance when P. Babou found the net in the 47th minute, capitalising on sustained pressure in the final third. N. Akada doubled the advantage shortly after, slotting home in the 52nd minute to put the visitors in deep trouble. The momentum never relented as Fortis continued to probe for openings.
By then Chittagong had already seen two yellow cards arrive before half-time, with M. Hasan and M. Mahmoud booked in the 45th minute plus three. The cards were a symptom of growing desperation rather than the cause of their struggles, and the visitors never really recovered from that early setback.
The second half brought further punishment. N. Akada completed his brace in the 77th minute, then M. Ibrahim added a fourth in the 79th. R. Tudu made it five in the 82nd minute before P. Babou completed his double with an eighth-minute strike to seal the victory.
There were plenty of changes across the match, with both managers reshuffling their options. Fortis brought on M. Alam and M. Habib together in the 54th minute, while Chittagong made six substitutions throughout, including a double switch for S. Islam and S. Karim in the 67th minute.
The result moves Fortis closer to the top of the table. They currently sit third with 35 points from 18 games, having won ten, drawn five and lost three. A victory like this, with such a clean sheet, gives them confidence heading into the remainder of the season.