RAJSHAHI (Interstat) — Fortis scored three unanswered second-half goals to beat Regar-TadAZ 3-1 on Friday, overcoming an early deficit after the visitors were reduced to 10 men. Regar-TadAZ had taken the lead in the 12th minute when Sherzod Makhamadiev scored. The match shifted in the 17th minute when Severin was sent off, leaving Regar-TadAZ to play the remainder with 10 men. Fortis pushed for an equalizer through the rest of the first half, but Regar-TadAZ held its lead at halftime. Fortis finally broke through after the break and completed the comeback with two more goals in the final 20 minutes.

Rafayel Tudu leveled for Fortis in the 67th minute. Shian Kawasaki put the home side ahead in the 71st, and Shuki Itofusa added the third in the 88th. Pa Babou set up two Fortis goals, while Ananta Tamang supplied one assist. Kawasaki played the entire match and scored once. Babou also was not substituted and finished with two assists. Itofusa, who entered as a substitute and played 26 minutes, scored once and was booked in the 89th minute. Fortis’ Mithu Chowdhury was booked in the 47th minute, and Regar-TadAZ’s Khaitov was booked in the 70th. Tudu’s goal came 22 minutes into the second half, and Kawasaki’s winner arrived four minutes later. Itofusa scored two minutes before the end of regulation and was cautioned one minute afterward.

Makhamadiev played 81 minutes for Regar-TadAZ and scored his team’s goal before being substituted. Joseph Feumba, who came on in the 21st minute and played 21 minutes, recorded an assist. Regar-TadAZ made substitutions for Feumba in the 21st minute, Assomo in the 45th, Babajanov and Mbollo in the 46th, and Makhamadiev in the 81st. Fortis used substitutions for Hossen in the 46th minute, Shimomura in the 64th, Ibrahim in the second minute of stoppage time, and Akada in the fourth minute of stoppage time. Regar-TadAZ’s red card forced the visitors to defend without Severin for most of the match, and Fortis capitalised with a second-half rally. The red card was the only dismissal of the match. Regar-TadAZ also made an early change after the red card, with Assomo entering before halftime.

Fortis’s victory came after it trailed at halftime and required a second-half response. Regar-TadAZ had opened the scoring early, but the sending off left the visitors with a numerical disadvantage for more than 70 minutes. The visitors made their final change when Makhamadiev came off in the 81st minute, and Fortis closed out the game with late substitutions.

The result left Regar-TadAZ at one win and two losses in the competition and two wins, two losses and one draw across all competitions. Fortis moved to one win and two losses in the competition and three wins, two losses and three draws across all competitions. Regar-TadAZ had entered after a loss to Al Qadisiya, a win over Goa, a draw at Eskhata and a win over Barkchi Hisor among its recent results. Fortis had entered after losses to Goa and Al Qadisiya, a win over Brothers Union, a draw with City Club and draws with Fakirerpool Young Men’s Club and Fakirerpool YMC among its recent results. Fortis also had a win over Chattogram among its recent results. Regar-TadAZ is next scheduled to host CSKA Pomir.

In pregame projections, Interstat’s game simulator had projected a final score of Regar-TadAZ 2, Fortis 1. Interstat’s ELO system had projected Fortis with a 54.9 percent probability to win. Regar-TadAZ had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -2.25. The total score of 4 went under the over/under line of 2.5.