Last year’s league runners-up Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited received an invitation from the All India Football Federation to participate in the IFA Shield in India, the fourth oldest club cup tournament in the world. The IFA Shield, established in 1893, will be staged for the 113th time this month. The tournament is scheduled to begin on January 29 with the final match on February 11. Sheikh Jamal receive direct entry into the quarter-finals.
AIFF competition director Debu Mukherjee called Sheikh Jamal president Monjur Kader on Thursday and invited the club to participate in the tournament.
‘Debu Mukharjee invited me to participate in the IFA Shield over the phone [on Thursday] and I am willing to take my team there,’ said Kader, who twice in the past has gone to West Bengal with Abahani Limited as the team manager.
‘I told him [Debu] that I have dreamed of beating Indian giants East Bengal and Mohun Bagan on their own soil because the last two times we returned empty handed with Abahani. But now I have confidence in my team and we are hoping that we will bring a trophy from Indian soil.’
It has been five years since a Bangladeshi club was last invited to play in the prestigious tournament. Dhaka Mohammedan participated
in the invitational tournament in 2008.
In 2008, Dhaka Mohammedan drew against Churchill Brothers and Kolkata Mohammedan before going down in defeat against East Bengal.
In 1995, Dhaka Mohammedan were the runners-up, losing a penalty shoot-out to East Bengal in the final.
-With New Age input
