Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi are looking forward to end their goal-scoring drought in their maiden AFC Cup campaign when they host seven-time Malaysia Super League champions FA Selangor in their third match today. The game will kick off at the Bangabandhu National Stadium at 6.30pm.
The Bangladesh Premier League champions not only lost their first two matches but they also failed to score any while conceding six which is unexpected and unfamiliar considering their records in the last two seasons. They scored 60 goals in 20 matches in the premier league last season without mentioning the plenty others in the King’s Cup in Bhutan and IFA Shield in India.
Sheikh Jamal’s foreign attacking trio – Wedson Anselme, Emeka Darlington and Landing Darboe – had scored the majority of the club’s goals but failed to put their natural finishing ability to the pitch in the AFC Cup. The head coach Shafiqul Islam Manik, well aware of their situation the Group E points table, is hopeful they will get the goals this time.
“We have our backs against the wall. The time for practice is over, now we need to rectify the mistakes. I hope I will get the best from my players tomorrow (Tuesday). We will have to be cautious about not conceding from silly mistakes. We have good goalscorers. So I am hopeful,” said the veteran coach at the pre-match presser yesterday.
He continued, “I am trying to motivate and field the players who are the best. We have many adversities. But we are taking the challenges. I have always said all the other sides are better prepared compared to us,”
Apart from the foreign attackers, the national players in the squad seemed not to be performing their caliber especially the defence-line which looked vulnerable in the first two games. The midfield has also struggled to cope up the opponents.
Manik, who played five defenders in the last game against Ceres, will miss the service of center-back Yeasin Khan today for suspension and he might opt to play with four defenders against the most successful club in Malaysia’s domestic football history. Veteran and versatile forward Enamul Haque is likely to replace Yeasin.
“Most of the players belong to the national team. Since the national team has had a poor string of results in the recent past, their confidence level has gone down a bit, which has rubbed on to their club performance as well,” Manik explained the reason behind national players’ poor display.
Selangor, nicknamed the Red Giants, are not also having the best results in their recent fixtures and they earned only a single point from two matches to sit just a place above Sheikh Jamal on the table. The club head coach Zainal Abidin Hassan admitted the ‘pressure’ on them and need his players to be mentally strong ahead of the clash.
“On paper, we look favourites to qualify for the next round, but unfortunately due to certain reasons - new team and a tough schedule - we lag behind and are not performing up to the mark. But we know our chances and have our hopes. We’ve got to do much better in the last three games to qualify,”
“We have already played two games and collected one point. So chance is still open provided if we play well and get three points. The same is with the home team, who need the three points badly. So it will be a tough match for both teams to run their show in the AFC Cup.”