Defending champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club rode on hat-trick hero Emeka Darlington as they returned to winning ways by thrashing Feni Soccer Club 6-2 in the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Nigerian Emeka netted his first league hat-trick of the season while Gambian midfielder Landing Darboe slotted home two goals and Haitian Wedson Anselme added one to salvage full three points and take the Dhanmondi outfits four-point clear at the top with 30 points.
It took Jamal only 27 seconds to open the scoring. The second fastest goal in the history of Bangladesh Premier League came from the first attack after kick-off as Landing’s header on Sohel Rana’s cross ricochet off the side post before crossing the goal line.
Dawda Ceesay was unlucky not to equalise the margin six minutes later, his chip from the edge of the box was just over the crossbar. However, Wedson doubled the lead at the quarter-hour mark when the rounded off the Feni keeper and slotted home into an empty net.
Emeka made it 3-0 in the 24th minute with a cool finish from the far post and the goal galore continued with Emeka netting his second three minutes later. Gambian Jatta Mustapha, however, pulled one back for Feni with a screamer from outside the box in the 37th minute.
The match remained goalless for the next 40 minutes before Kanding scored his second and Jamal’s fourth on the night in the 77th minute. Emeka completed his hat-trick in the 87th and it the Nigerian’s 11th in the league this season, one less than top scorer Augustin Walson. Substitute midfielder Sharan Hawlader scored another consolation for Feni eight minutes from the whistle. They could have scored one more from the penalty spot, but Jamal goalkeeper Hemel’s heroics neutralised the threat.
