Former champion Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club Limited and star-studded rising powerhouse Bashundhara Kings played out a 1-1 draw, while Mohammedan Sporting Club Limited registered their first win after beating newcomer Nofel Sporting Club 2-0 in the Federation Cup at Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka Saturday.
The results meant the ultimate fate of the four-team Group D standing is still hanging in the balance, but the two consecutive defeats sent the premier league debutant Nofel out of the tournament with a game in hand.
Bashundhara and Sheikh Jamal, riding on their dominating wins over Mohammedan and Nofel respectively in their opening matches, earned four points each.
Mohammedan have one point less.
Sheikh Jamal and Mohammedan will face each other in the last match of the group stage Tuesday while Bashundhara have easier opponent in their final fixture on the same day.
#CostaRica’s WC star #Colindres shines on debut in #Bangladeshhttps://t.co/fjvttES0b3
— DhakaTribune (@DhakaTribune) October 29, 2018
Spanish coach Oscar Bruzon fielded the midfield and forward lines of newly promoted Bashundhara with some national players like Emon Mahmud, Masuk Mia Joni and Mahbubur Rahman Sufil, along with big-spending attacking duo Daniel Colindres and Marcos Vinicius da Silva.
It took Bashundhara’s threatening forward-line only eight minutes to break the deadlock, which involved three of their foreign recruits.
Costa Rica’s World Cup playing forward Colindres scripted the attack as his through pass towards the left side allowed Kyrgyzstan midfielder Baktiyar Duishobekov to provide a low cross into the middle, before Marcos placed the ball home.
Sheikh Jamal, guided by experienced Nigerian coach Joseph Afusi, fought neck to neck against the big names of the opponent.
It took the Dhanmondi outfit only four minutes to bring parity.
The stunning equaliser by the club’s proven Gambian forward Solomon King came through a screamer.
Producing a long ball following an exchange of passes with compatriot Sainey Bojang, Solomon, who also scored in the first match, unleashed a powerful strike from 20 yards out that gave Bashundhara goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico no chance.
Another effort by Solomon in the 52nd minute from the right side was saved by Zico.
Six minutes later, receiving a pass from Baktiyar, Colindres tried his luck from 30 yards only to hit the sidepost.
Sheikh Jamal had another big chance at the hour mark but Solomon, instead of taking a shot of his own, passed to Nigerian forward Emanual Perez, but onrushing Zico blocked the effort.
All of Afusi’s back-five consists of local players with top-flight experience and they ensured of keeping the scoreline in check till the final whistle.
Meanwhile in the day’s other game, Mohammedan had to toil hard to penetrate the newcomer Nofel’s defence before a couple of quick goals in the second half ensured their first points in the tournament.
The Black and Whites struggled in the first half where one of the notable chances came from Nofel when their former Guinean forward Ismael Bangoura chipped over the bar from the middle of the box in the 23rd minute.
Mohammedan looked more organised after resumption.
Four minutes into the second half, Kingsley Chigozie’s volley from a Landing Darboe cross flew over the bar before Pasbon Mollah missed a chance from one-on-one situation with the keeper in the 59th minute
Kingsley finally gave Mohammedan the breakthrough in the 69th minute volleying home from the top of the box after being set up brilliantly by Landing from just outside the box.
Kingsley, the Nigerian striker, doubled the lead a minute later with a header over the keeper, following a long ball, to seal victory.
RESULTS
Sk Jamal 1 (Solomon 12) 1 Bashundhara (Marcos 8)
Mohammedan 2 (Kingsley 69) 0 Nofel
SUNDAY'S MATCH
Arambagh v Ctg Abahani, 5:00pm
The game will be held at BNS, Dhaka
