Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club reached the semifinals of the Federation Cup for the fourth successive time when they coasted to a 3-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting Club in the first quarterfinal at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Friday.\u00a0Haitian playmaker Sony Norde was the source of inspiration for Sheikh Jamal once again as he continued his patch of good form with a brace while national captain Mamunul Islam also got himself on the scoresheet for the Dhanmondi-based outfit.
\nMohammedan\u2019s Nigerian striker Chuka Charles grabbed the consolation goal.
\nMohammedan\u2019s shaky defence failed to thwart Norde\u2019s runs throughout the game and the Haitian\u2019s two goals meant he was now the leading scorer of this season\u2019s opening tournament with five goals from three games.
\nThe Black and Whites were also vulnerable in midfield due to the absence of young midfielder Hemanta Vincent Biswas, who is now in the Netherlands for a trial with top flight club, FC Twente Enschede.
\nHabibur Rahman Sohag, who replaced Vincent in the line-up, failed to fill in the absence of the young prodigy while national footballers Zahid Hasan Ameli and Zahid Hossain were helpless in attack as the striking duo were brilliantly marked by the Sheikh Jamal defenders throughout the entire last-eight clash.
\nMohammedan\u2019s Egyptian forward Mostafa Seddik was featuring in his first game in Bangladesh but the Pharaoh could not live upto expectations.
\nAll was not plain sailing for Sheikh Jamal though as they received a minor scare in the 60th minute of the game when Norde was stretchered off after a foul by Mohammedan\u2019s Nigerian midfielder Sesan Idowu.
\nNorde injured his right knee in the process and was immediately admitted to hospital.
\nSheikh Jamal went ahead in the 33rd minute, courtesy some individual brilliance from Norde who dodged past three Mohammedan defenders \u2013 Mintu, Baybeck and Idowu \u2013 before slotting the ball into the back of the net.
\nThe Blue and Yellow outfit came close to doubling their lead one minute before the end of the first half when Norde broke into the penalty
\narea and dispossessed Baybeck but the Haitian playmaker\u2019s chip shot went over the bar.
\nSheikh Jamal did not have to wait long for the second goal as it arrived 10 minutes into the second half, this time Norde skipped past two Mohammedan players \u2013 Idowu and Tapu \u2013 and fired the ball home.
\nThe game was briefly halted for a couple of minutes in the 60th minute when Idowu brought down Norde with a clumsy challenge which prompted an angry reaction from Sheikh Jamal manager Afusi Joseph in the dugout.
\nMamunul made the tie safe when he scored in the 83rd minute to make it 3-0 as he powered a shot past Mohammedan goalkeeper Mamun Khan from 20 yards after a fine Sohel Rana pass.
\nChuka reduced the margin for Mohammedan in the very next minute when he latched onto a through pass from Manik and sent the ball crashing into the back of the net.
\nSheikh Jamal will face the winner of today\u2019s second quarterfinal between Abahani Limited and Feni Soccer Club in the last four on December 4.
\nThe second quarterfinal will kick off at 5:00pm at the Bangabandhu National Stadium. State-run Bangladesh Television will telecast the game live.<\/p>\n

-With New Age<\/strong> input<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club reached the semifinals of the Federation Cup for the fourth successive time when they coasted to a 3-1 win over Mohammedan Sporting Club in the first quarterfinal at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Friday.\u00a0Haitian playmaker Sony Norde was the source of inspiration for Sheikh Jamal once again as he continued his … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":0,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","footnotes":""},"categories":[33],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n