IFA Shield final today
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Kolkata Mohammedan will meet each other today at Salt Lake Stadium for the second time in as many weeks and this time the precious IFA Shield trophy is at stake. The final of the world’s fourth-oldest football competition will be shown live in Star Jalsha Movies from 6:30pm. Sheikh Jamal are on the threshold of creating history as they will become the first side from Bangladesh to win the prestigious IFA Shield title if they triumph today. Dhaka Mohammedan have come the closest in 1995 only to be beaten by East Bengal in the final.
Sheikh Jamal began their group campaign with a 2-1 defeat against their final opponents on February 2 despite taking the lead.
After the losing start, the Dhanmondi-based club registered three consecutive victories to reach the final as they overcame Sikkim United 3-1 and Mohun Bagan 1-0 to finish in second position in Group B before trouncing East Bengal 3-0 in the semifinal.
Sheikh Jamal will be confident going into the final as they have beaten two of India’s strongest clubs, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, in successive matches.
The Yellow-Blue outfit have displayed impressive football throughout the competition, especially in the last four when they outclassed 30-time IFA Shield champions East Bengal on February 11.
Sheikh Jamal’s attacking trio of Haitians Sony Norde and Wedson Anselme and Nigerian Emeka Darlington will once again be under the spotlight as the triumvirate have grabbed all the eight goals for the visiting side in the competition.
Sony and Wedson have each scored three goals while Emeka has notched two so far.
Playmaker Sony has already attracted the attention of the media with his extraordinary movements and bursts
of pace added to his goal-scoring ability.
Sheikh Jamal manager Joseph Afusi was confident going into the grand finale.
‘We beat top clubs like Mohun Bagan and East Bengal so why [should] we [be] scared about [Kolkata] Mohammedan?’ enthused Afusi adding that, ‘We played with [Kolkata Mohammedan], we saw their game, now they are not an unknown opponent for us.’
‘I’m waiting to face them in the field,’ said a confident Afusi.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Mohammedan, who are without any silverware since 1971, will take to the field today to omit their past dissatisfactions.
The Black and White outfit reached their first IFA Shield final after 24 years and their manager Sanjay Sen said that alongside other things, the final will also be a battle of mind games between the two sides.
Kolkata Mohammedan though are no pushover themselves as they are unbeaten in eight matches.
‘I told before that Sheikh Jamal are a very strong side who have the ability to beat any [Indian] League team but nobody were concerned with my speech. But [Sheikh] Jamal proved it to them by beating two top teams in the country — Mohun Bagan and East Bengal,’ said Sanjay.
‘We beat them in the first match but they are improving match by match and it will be unwise for us to take them lightly,’ he added.
-With New Age input
