Title aspirant Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club rode on a brace from Nigerian forward Emeka Darlington to bag all three points from their opening Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) fixture against Chittagong Abahani. The Dhanmondi based giants won the game 3-1 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Nasir Uddin Chowdhury continued his magical goal scoring run in the season as the defender once again appeared in the score sheet by giving Jamal the lead in the first-half. The absence of crucial players like Sony Norde and Mamunul Islam, who are sidelined with injury, were not felt as Emeka, on his BPL debut, added two in the second-half to seal a comfortable victory despite Ahsanul Hoque Milon netting a consolation for the visitors in the 83rd minute.
Emeka, who was not even a part of the preliminary squad before the season, impressed Jamal in a pre-season friendly against Abahani where the Nigerian nailed a hat-trick. The winger immediately sealed a place in the Jamal XI and had a successful Federation Cup campaign, but however was not able to score any goal.
Jamal won the match easily, but the absence of the attacking Haitian Sony and Mamunul reflected on the field as the flare of surging forward was missing.
Chittagong Abahani conceded the first goal from the only threat Jamal was able to create in the opening half. Haitian forward Wedson’s header on a Linkon cross was pushed away by Abahani’s goalkeeper Piaruzzaman only to find Nasir who just had to nod the rebounder in.
A half-chance to level the score came the visitor’s way in the 42nd minute, but Ahsanul Haque Milon’s header on a corner from Mahfujur Rahman flew just over the crosspiece.
One minute into the second-half, the game had to be stopped due to insufficient light but that hardly hampered the momentum of the stronger side in the game as Emeka scored in the 50th minute to double the lead with a sliding tap.
The Nigerian killed the game in the 69th minute with his second and Jamal’s third. Ali Abdullahi looped a volley from outside the box which went over the keeper, but returned from the woodwork which Emeka received with his chest, rounded off a defender and fired it in.
Milon pulled one back for the port city club from a penalty in the 81st minute after Nasir brought down Chittagong Abahani’s forward Sohel Mia inside the danger zone.
However, Chittagong Abahani could have added one more in the injury time, but unmarked midfielder Masuk Mia Jony’s strike from the middle of the box went over the crossbar.
Jamal’s Nigerian coach Joseph Afusi said that he had rested Sony Norde after the Haitian picked up an injury during the Federation Cup while Mamunul is expected to be away for a few more days with fever.
Today’s match between Abahani Limited and Brothers Union was postponed due to unavoidable circumstances and the match will be held tomorrow.
