Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi midfielder Zahid Hossain (C) is being chased by a host of Abahani players during their Grameenphone 23rd Federation Cup football match at the Birshreshtha Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur yesterday. The match ended in a 1-1 draw.Photo: STAR

Abahani's bid to break a nine-year jinx of Federation Cup, got off to a poor start when the Bangladesh League champions were held a 1-1 draw by star-studded Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club in Group A encounter of the season's curtain-raising tournament at Birsreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium yesterday.
Ghanaian striker Ntim Twum Prank converted a penalty to level the margin 10 minutes from time for the Sky Blues after former Abahani striker Enamul Haq had givenSheikh Jamal the lead 13 minutes into the second half.
In the day's first match of the same group, Sheikh Russel KC also shared points with Rahmatganj MFS after playing a goalless draw at the same venue. It was the fourty-sixth birthday of Sheikh Russel and the club officials marked the day by distributing 46 footballs among the spectators.
After two successive wins against comparatively unfancied teams in the qualifying round, all focus was on how Sheikh Jamal, with 10 national players in their starting eleven, would play against three-time Bangladesh League champions Abahani. They appeared disorganised in the midfield throughout the first half as vital playmaker Mamunul Islam missed the high-voltage game for his bookings.
Rather it were Abahani who despite losing some strength in the transfer bourse looked more organised from the beginning, even though they could not penetrate the Sheikh Jamal backline and were able to muster their first shot on the target in the stoppage time of the first half.
It was an intense battle of physical strength and exchange of words between the players which forced referee Abdul Hannan Miron to book seven players -- four from Sheikh Jamal and three from Abahani.
Despite the lack of assistance from the midfield, winger Shakil Ahmed kept on creating chances with threatening crosses from the left.
Sheikh Jamal came within a whisker of an opener in the fourth minute when Enamul released a well-judged freekick only to be saved by Abahani goalkeeper Ziaur Rahman, who also thwarted two more efforts from Zahid Hossain from one-on-one situations.
After resumption, Sheikh Jamal brought in medio Shahedul Alam and winger Tawhidul Alam Sabuj to strengthen the attack and Enamul played behind striker Emily. The changes paid off when 13 minutes into the second half Enamul headed a Shakil corner home.
Moments later, Abahani came close to an equaliser when Ghanaian striker Awudu Ibrahim beat Serbian defender Dragan Perisic to advance to the danger zone before Sheikh Jamal defender Reza made a timely intervention to clear the ball for a throw-in.
But, the defender finally let his side down when he brought down Prank inside the box. The Ghanaian converted the penalty kick on his second attempt after his first attempt, which also found the back of Sheikh Jamal net, was ruled out by the referee.
“We could have won the game had Prank not squandered a chance from a one-on-one situation. But both teams played well and I think these two sides will play the final of the tournament," said Abahani's Iranian coach Ali Akbar.
“It was a tactical game and my boys were a bit tired after playing two matches in four days. Besides, a 15-day preparation was not enough to compete against a big team like Abahani. Even then, it was disappointing to concede a goal 10 minutes before the end,” said Sheikh Jamal coach Zoran.
TEAMS
ABAHANI: Ziaur Rahman, Samad Youssif, Ibnul Siraji, Ashraf Mahmud Linkon, Pranotosh Kumar Das, Imtiaz Sultan Jitu (Abul Hossain), Mehdi Hasan Ujjal, Choumrin Rakhin (Shakawat Hossain Rony), Awudu Ibrahim, Ntim Twum Prank and Nazrul Islam (Mamun Mia).
SHEIKH JAMAL DHANMONDI : Aminul Haque, Dragan Perisic (Ariful Islam), Rezaul Karim Reza, Wali Faisal, Nasirul Islam, Mintu Sheikh (Shahedul Alam), Atiqur Rahman Meshu, Zahid Hossain (Tawhidul Alam Sabuj), Shakil Ahmed, Zahid Hasan Emily and Enamul Haq.
Yellow cards: Enamul, Rezaul Karim, Emily and Meshu (Sheikh Jamal), Jitu, Choumrin and Samad Youssif (Abahani).
Referee: Abdul Hannan Miron.