Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club are eager to erase the memory of IFA Shield and return on a winning note when they take on Indian side Pune FC in the final of the King’s Cup in Thimphu today. The Bangladesh champions reached the final of the three overseas tournaments in the recent time but they could come out victorious only once when they won the Safal Pokhara Cup in Nepal in 2011.They are still haunted by their loss to Kolkata Mohammedan in the final of the IFA Shield in 2013, despite a dazzling performance throughout the tournament.
‘We all are serious to return home with King’s Cup,’ striker Shakhawat Hossain Rony told reporters in Thimphu on Monday. ‘We could not bring the IFA Shield home despite going close. This time we don’t want to make the same mistakes,’ said the striker.
Rony brought the last-gasp equaliser for Jamal in the semi-final against Nepal’s MMC before Haitian Landing scored the winner in the first minute of extra time.
Jamal will be boosted by the return of Haitian forward Wedson Anselme, who missed the semi-final due to suspension.
He is expected to form a formidable line up with Nigerian Emeka Darlington and Rony up front for Jamal.
Captain Nasir Chowdhury also echoed Rony and claimed that the team are in good spirit which can earn them the Cup.
‘We don’t want to carry the pain like the IFA Shield campaign,’ said Nasir.
Jamal also have an extra edge over their opponent as they got two days of rest while Pune FC will take the field with just one day rest after their semi-final win over Mohun Bagan
-With New Age input
