Nine-shooter Sheikh Jamal
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club got the second leg of the Manyavar Bangladesh Premier League to a spectacular start with a record-breaking 9-1 goal win over Farashganj SC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The defending champions, who roped in Nigerian coach Joseph Afusi after terminating contract with Maruful Haque at the end of the first leg, were vindicated of their decision to see the Nigerian's second stint at the club start in a flying fashion. Wedson Anselme scored four, Mamunul Islam slotted three while Landing Darboe and substitute striker Toklish Ahmed bagged one goal each to give the Dhanmondi giants a record breaking win in the top-tier professional league, eclipsing the previous record of 8-0 wins held jointly by them and Muktijoddha Sangsad, both of which came against now-relegated Uttar Baridhara Club last season.
The win took the league leaders six points clear at the top while Farashganj, who came into the game with only one session of training behind them, remained at the bottom with only four points.
The defending champions took only eight minutes to open the scoring when Gambian forward Darboe fired home from the edge of the six-yard box before Wedson doubled the margin in the 25th with a spectacular angular shot that went in after thudding the inside of the far post.
Farashganj reduced the margin in the 38th minute, thanks to Nigerian striker Peter Akinyele who danced past two defenders before slotting it past goalkeeper Mazharul Islam Himel. But that was as best as it got for Farashganj because defending champions soon restored the two-goal cushion before putting six more past a hapless Farashganj goalkeeper in the second half.
Wedson, the highest scorer of last edition, made it 3-1 in the 45th minute before completing the hattrick five minutes into the second half. Mamunul then got in on the act with a spot-kick in the 52nd minute before scoring his second and third goals in the 73rd and 90th minutes to bag the fourth hattrick of the league.
In between Mamun's first and third goal, Wedson struck his fourth to take his tally to 10 for the league, just one less than highest-scorer Brothers' Augustine Walson, while substitute Toklish scored in the 83rd minute with a brilliant volley.
ABAHANI SCRAPE PAST RAHMATGANJ
New signing Sunday Chizoba struck a brace as Abahani edged past Rahmatganj MFS with a 3-1 victory in the second match of the day at the same venue.
Ghanaian marksman Osei Morison scored the other goal for Abahani while Mohammad and Sohel Nurul Absar scored one each for the Old Dhaka outfit.
The win lifted Abahani to 20 points, equal with Mohammedan SC, Brothers Union and Sheikh Russel KC who are yet to start their second leg.
FARASHGANJ 1-9 SK JAMAL
RAHMATGANJ 2-3 ABAHANI
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