Russel off the mark
A 65th minute header from Nigerian striker Nkwocha Kingsley Chigozie gave Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra a 1-0 win against FC Erichim of Mongolia in their opening fixture of the AFC President's Cup at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo yesterday.
Although pegged for much of the first half in the Group B opener, Chigozie's goal on a free-kick from Mithun Chowdhury was enough to give the debutantes a winning start to Asia's third-tier club competition.
While Sheikh Russel were under a lot of pressure in the first half, they regrouped in the second period and conquered the Mongolian challenge and the searing heat and humidity of Colombo.
"I am not satisfied with the performance despite the win. Due to the hot weather, it was difficult to play to our full potential," Sheikh Russel Zakaria Babu was quoted as saying by the AFC website.
The treble-winners of 2012-2013 season will get three day's time to regroup before they take on Rimyongsu club of North Korea, who are expected to be a much tougher challenge than the Mongolian one.
"I told the players at half-time not to worry about the goalless score-line and to play their normal game and the goal would come. I am convinced, though, that my team will be able to raise their game for the subsequent fixtures and I am pleased we have begun the tournament with a win," said Babu about his side's performance.
In a brisk start, Zahid Hasan Emily sounded the early warning after only two minutes with a free-kick from 20 yards out which curled narrowly over the bar. Eight minutes later, Emily had the ball at the back of the net, but he had strayed to an offside position while turning in Anwar Hossain's cross at the back post.
Thereafter, Erchim looked the more convincing side going forward with 18-year-old playmaker Tuguldur Munkh-erdene behind much of their good work. Playing as a left-winger, Munkh-erdene bamboozled his marker on the halfway line, before slipping a delicate through ball into the 16-yard area, where Sundorj Janchiv was inches away from connecting until Mamun Khan intercepted with a sliding feet-first block.
The tricky number 10's influence waned considerably in the second half as Sheikh Russel wrested momentum back and took the lead shortly after the hour mark.
A clumsy challenge by Davaajav Battur on Emily on the left edge of the penalty area was clinically punished as Mithun's resulting free-kick found the towering Chigozie at the back post, and the striker powered his header past goalkeeper Ariunbold Batsaikhan.
Erchim tried to restore parity but the Mongolians struggled to break down the Sheikh Russel backline, marshalled by Rezaul Karim and Bojan Petric.
SHEIKH RUSSEL: Mamun Khan; Wali Faisal, Rezaul Karim, Bojan Petric, Sohel Rana (Mezbah Uddin); Shahedul Alam, Mithun Chowdhury, Fazle Rabbi, Anwar Hossain (Bappi Hasan); Zahid Hasan Emily, Kingsley Chigozie.
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