Sheikh Jamal striker Towhidul Alam Sabuz runs off as winger Zahdid Hossain follows in celebration after the opening goal of their Grameenphone Federation Cup match against Rahmatganj MFS at the Birshreshtha Mostafa Kamal Stadium yesterday.Photo: STAR

Title aspirants Abahani emerged Group A champions on goal difference to move to the semifinals of the Grameenphone Federation Cup after playing out a goalless draw against Sheikh Russel KC at Birshrestha Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalapur yesterday.
Newcomers Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club also secured a place in the last four from the same group after handing a 2-1 defeat to Rahmatganj MFS in the day's first match.
After an fierce battle in the first half, Sheikh Russel, who needed nothing but a win to ensure the semifinal berth, kept their mighty opponents at bay while the Abahani backline looked more vulnerable in the absence of Ghanaian defender Samad Yousif, who was serving a one match ban for two successive bookings.
Defender Amit Khan Shuvro took his place but the former Muktijoddha defender was under tremendous pressure throughout the game and sank the Sky Blues after bringing down Sheikh Russel striker Mohammad Yousuf inside the danger zone to concede a penalty kick in the dying minutes.
With four minutes remaining in the game, Moroccan Samir Omari stepped up to take the spot-kick but to the disgust of the Russel fans floated the ball over the crossbar, allowing Abahani to become group champions followed by Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club.
“It is part of the game. It can happen even though there was no pressure on me,” conceded a disgruntled Samir after the game.
Abahani manger Satyajit Das Rupu, however, saw the penalty shot as a conspiracy against Abahani.
“Mohammedan are almost out of the tournament. Awarding a penalty to Sheikh Russel was just an attempt to exclude Abahani too from the tournament,” said Rupu.
However, all credits to Abahani goalkeeper Ziaur Rahman, who thwarted three attempts from close range to keep the Sky Blues in the game.
Zia first blocked a Moro Mohammed shot and then fisted one from Monaem Khan Raju in the 53rd minute. He again came to the rescue fisting away an Abass Inusah header in the 76th minute.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club returned to the winning waysand also confirmed the semifinal berth with a 2-1 defeat against Rahmatganj MFS in the day's first match.
From the word go, Sheikh Jamal dominated the show with crisp passing and took the lead through Towhidul Alam Sabuz in the 34th minute after three attempts were thwarted by the Rahmatganj defenders.
Sabuz, capitalising on a lob from Zahid Hossain, entered into the box and chipped the ball over an advancing keeper Arifuzzaman.
Zahid doubled the margin 10 minutes into the second half. Left-stopper Atiqur Rahman Meshu ran down the line before cutting it to Shakil Ahmed and winger Zahid slapped a diving header giving no time for goalie Arifuzzaman to react.
Going two down, Rah-matganj bounced back with a goal and enjoyed superior possession for the rest of the game as striking duo Pashban Mollah, Ugandan Idris Kasirye and Nigerian midfielder Onewkore Uche Felix built
up a nice understanding amongst them.
Pasban, set by Felix, moved into the danger zone to dance past defender Rezaul Karim and goalkeeper Aminul Haq to reduce the margin in the 60th minute with a placing shot.
Then, the Rahmatganj trio looked more dangerous and Sheikh Jamal defenders struggled to check them.
Sheikh Jamal were lucky not to concede the equaliser in the 76th minute when Idris drove a powerful shot from outside the box that rattled the crossbar and two minutes later Pash-ban volleyed a Idris cross
wide from close range to the relief of national goalkeeper Aminul Haq.
TEAMS
ABAHANI: Ziaur Rahman, Ibnul Siraji, Imtiaz Sultan Jitu (Shkawat Hossain Rony), Mehdi Hasan Ujjal, Pranotosh Kumar, Choumrin Rakhin (Habibur Rahman Shohag), Amit Khan Shuvro, Ashraf Mahmud Linkon, Mamun Miah and Ntim Twum Prank.
SHEIKH RUSSEL: Mamun Khan, Uttam Kumar Bonik, Bappe Hasan Morad, Mah-fuzur Rahman Babu, Abass Inusah, Moro Mohammad, Mezbabul Haque Manik, Naymur Rahman Shahed (Emrul Hasan), Monem Khan Raju, M Yosuf and Samir Omari.