Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club registered a facile 3-1 win against promoted Chittagong Abahani in their opening match of the Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Saturday. Nigerian marksman Emeka Darlington scored a brace after Jamal’s acting captain Nasir Chowdhury had opened the account for the winners. Ahsanul Haque Milon pulled a goal back for Chittagong Abahani.
Sheikh Jamal took to the field without their first-team players – captain Mamunul Islam and Haitian Sony Norde due to their injuries. But the Nigerian coach of the side, Joseph Afusi, didn’t feel the absence of his star duo.
Nasir, who had scored the winning goal in the Federation Cup final, put Jamal in front in the 15th minute after Haitian Wedson’s header off a Linkon cross from the left was parried by Chittagong Abahani keeper Piaruzzaman.
After taking the lead, Jamal failed to create any scoring chances in the first half, but in the second half they took control of the match and secured a comfortable victory.
The match was halted for eight minutes after the restart due to insufficient light. Jamal doubled the lead in the 49th minute when Darlington tucked the ball in after receiving a low cross from Sohel Rana from left-hand side of box.
Darlington scored his second goal and the team’s third in the 68th minute after a volley from outside the box by Ali Abdullahi rebounded off the crosspiece and the striker smashed it past the keeper.
Ahsanul Hague Milon reduced the margin in the 72nd minute as he converted a penalty after Sohel Mia was brought down just inside the box by Nasir.
`Its football, at the end of the day the win in the important, nothing else,’ said Afusi after the match. `As we missed our two main players maybe the boys took much time to adapt but they proved that they have ability to replace Sony and Mamunul.
`Sony was given rest due to his knee and thigh injuries he sustained during the Fed Cup quarter-final and Mamunul Islam is suffering from flu,’ said the Nigerian coach.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh Football Federation has shifted today’s Abahani-Brothers Union match to Monday due to a political programme across the country called by opposition 18-party alliance.
-With New Age input
