Members of the triumphant Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club celebrate with the trophy of the Walton Women's Football League after beating Mohammedan Sporting Club 2-0 in the final at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.Photo: STAR

Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club clinched the title of Walton First Women's Football League handing a 2-0 defeat to Mohammedan SC in the final at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Defender Farhana Khatun gave Sheikh Jamal a first-half lead before top-scorer Sabina Khatun sealed the victory in the second half of the entertaining encounter in front of some one thousand spectators.
The Dhanmondi-based outfit were the overwhelming favourites for the title, especially with the way they stormed into the final scoring 59 goals in four matches. The side with studded with national players held lion's share of possession and hardly allowed Mohammedan SC to break.
It was pleasing to see that both sides completed some passes as well as launched some planned attacks, although the ball was mostly confined in midfield due to lack of combination among the players.
Sheikh Jamal created the first opportunity in the ninth minute when Aung Mra Ching Marma rattled the crossbar with a 35-yarder and four minutes later Mohammedan goalkeeper Sabina Akter thwarted a close-range effort from Nubai Ching.
But Sabina could not save her side in the 27th minute as defender Farhana Khatun found the back of the net from a free-kick to give Sheikh Jamal an expected lead.
Mohammedan nearly found an equaliser five minutes before the break as Bilkis floated in a vicious free-kick which Sheikh Jamal goalkeeper Moly managed to grip in second attempt.
Mohammedan once again came close to pulling back a goal five minutes into the second half but this time Oditi, who scored a hattrick in the first match, failed to convert a Sui Nu free-kick despite having the net at her mercy.
Afterwards, Sheikh Jamal re-organised to launch several attacks and found the second goal in the 65th minute when Nubai Ching put a ball from the right for Sabina, who dodged past a defender to place the ball on the left-hand side of Mohammedan keeper to raise her goal tally to 25.
“Actually the girls were trained for a long time and the understanding among the players is very good, which is why they won every match they played,” said Sheikh Jamal coach Mosharraf Badal.
“Sheikh Jamal are virtually the national team but we played better compared to our strength. The result might have been different had the girls availed two chances they found,” lamented Mohammedan coach Poniruzzaman.