Emily goes goal-crazy

EMILY ON FIRE: Zahid Hasan Emily of Mohammedan Sporting Club rounds off Arambagh goalkeeper (R) Mitul Hasan to score the fourth of his five goals during their Bangladesh League encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.Photo: STAR

Striker Zahid Hasan Emily struck a mind boggling five goals in a match to power Mohammedan Sporting Club to an emphatic 7-0 win over Arambagh KS in their Bangladesh League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Apart from Emily's brilliance, winger Nasir Chowdhury and striker Alamu Bukola Olaleken netted a goal apiece in a completely one-sided match.
The unique feat also took Emily joint highest in the scorers list along with Abahani striker Sheriff din Mohammad and Sheikh Russel forward Samad Omari on 12 goals.
And upon scoring his third goal, Emily became the only player in the history of the professional football league to have scored hattricks in all three editions.
It was good news all around for the Black and Whites as the Nigerian duo Bukola and defender Dami Emmanuel both started after being left out of the team for the last two matches over a row related to unpaid wages.
However, despite this record achievement for Emily, Mohammedan still trail leaders Abahani by four points and ultimately Emily's feat might be the only consolation the giants draw from this edition of the league.
Mohammedan, however did not start brightly and showed a lack of combination initially with the inclusion of seemingly unfit Bukola and Dami. They had to wait for over half-an-hour to open the floodgates, although they should realistically have taken the lead in the first six minutes with Nasir and Ariful Islam spoiling sitters.
After having missed almost an open net, Emily scored his first in the 37th minute when a ricochet came his way outside the box and he cleverly chipped the ball over goalkeeper Mitul Hasan to give Mohammedan a deserved lead.
One minute from half-time, Emily being set up by a Bukola cross, rose high to thump a header home. The fleet-footed forward completed his hattrick two minutes into the second half through a penalty after referee Hannan Miron awarded a spot kick following a handball by Arambagh defender Din Mohammad.
Thereafter, playmaker Mamunul Islam played Bukola through on the right side and the striker darted into the danger zone before cutting it back for Nasir, who just tapped the ball home in the 52nd minute.
Last year's highest scorer Bukola, who has been going through poor form, made the margin 5-0 with a volley from outside the box, raising his goal tally to seven. Five minutes later, Wali Faisal collecting a long-ball from Mamun, advanced into the box from the left before putting a low cross for Emily to score his fourth and his team's sixth goal.
The former Abahani striker put the icing on the cake chipping the keeper after being set-up by Mamunul to make the margin 7-0; an identical scoreline they recorded against Narayanganj Shuktara Jubo Sangsad at the same venue two weeks ago.
TEAMS
MOHAMMEDAN SC: Aminul Haque, Wali Faisal (Yamin Ahmed Munna), Arman Aziz, Mamunul Islam, Enamul Haq Sharif, Nasir Uddin (Mamun Mia), Zahid Hasan Emily, Nasir Chowdhury (Shakil Ahmed), Dami Emmanuel and Alamu Bukola.
ARAMBAGH KS: Mitul Hasan (Masudur Rahman), Khan Sharif, Din Mohammad, Aminur Rahman, Parveez, Saiful Islam, Kabir Hossain, Nurul Islam (Moudud Ahmed), Subair Muhammed, Nicodemus Anunda and Syed Hossain Surat.
Yellow cards: Sharif (Mohammedan), Subair and Sharif (Arambagh).
Referee: Abdul Hannan Miron