Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club regained solo lead in the Grameen-phone Bangladesh Premier League when they beat Feni Soccer Club by the odd goal in three at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Nigerian striker Mike Otojareri put the new leviathans ahead in the 78th minute before his compatriot Victory Antoni levelled the margin for Feni in the 86th minute. However, national winger Shakil Ahmed struck two minutes from time to ensure the League leaders’ fifth win in six matches. The win took Sheikh Jamal to 16 points, one ahead of Sheikh Russel KC and three clear of holders Abahani while Feni remained at seventh position with three points from six outings.
Visitors Feni came close to taking an early lead in the very third minute as their goal-scorer Victory danced past Sheikh Jamal goalkeeper Muksudur Rahman before slotting the ball into an empty net from an acute angle. However, to his dismay, the Nigerian hitman saw the ball cleared off the line by Feni defender Yeamin Munna.
Munna then went on the attack and almost gave Sheikh Jamal the lead in the 14th minute when he found Feni goalkeeper Masud Ahmed Ujjal in a one-on-one situation, but the Feni keeper came out of his line to clear the danger.
Sheikh Jamal once again went close four minutes later when Otojareri back-headed to Sunday, who dodged past advancing goalkeeper Ujjal and was about to shoot home but was apparently bought down inside the danger zone by goalkeeper Ujjal from behind. The referee Bhuban Mohan Tarafder however overlooked the incident.
Sheikh Jamal kept pressing and Otojareri saw his curling effort go narrowly wide of the far post from the left-hand side before the Nigerian put his side ahead in the 78th minute when Sunday put a low cross for him.
Feni Soccer hit back in the eight minutes later when unmarked Victory availed a weak clearance from Munna in front of goal before side-volleying it to level the margin.
As the match seemed headed for a draw, Shakil struck gold for Sheikh Jamal. Being set up by an Alamgir Rana chip, the winger fired home a left-footer from inside the box to ensure three priceless points.
-With The Daily Star input
