Sony fires Sk Jamal into semis

Sheikh Jamal striker Sony Norde celebrates his opening goal against Mohammedan SC during the Federation Cup quarterfinal at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Photo: Star

Last year’s beaten finalists Sheikh Jamal DC rode on a brilliant brace from their Haitian marksman Sony Norde to ease to a 3-1 win over Mohammedan SC, thereby earning a semifinal berth in the Walton Federation Cup, in the first quarterfinal at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Sony, the key architect in Sheikh Russel’s treble-winning campaign last season, has been in terrific form in this tournament as he scored all the three goals for Sheikh Jamal till yesterday. And it was his skill, dribbling and pace, together with his two goals last night that delighted some 7,000 spectators and knocked the 10-time champions Mohammedan out of the campaign.
Despite Sony’s goals, Sheikh Jamal were less than impressive in their previous matches, but the big boys justified their name with an attacking display of football last night, adopting a 4-3-3 formation where the three forwards — Sony, Haitian Wedson Anselme and Nigerian Darlington – tearing the Mohammedan backline apart. Sheikh Jamal’s captain-cum-playmaker Mamunul Islam also played a pivotal role behind the forwards as he set up both the goals for Sony and scored the third one himself.
The Dhanmondi outfit threatened to take the lead quite a few times before Sony opened the scoring in the 35th minute with a clinical finish. Set up by Mamunul, Sony dribbled past defenders Tapu Barman, Mintu Sheikh and Baybeck before firing in at the back of the net.
Mohammedan were on the backfoot right from the start and their Egyptian striker Mostafa Saddik hardly got any support fellow forwards Zahid Hasan Emily and Zahid Hossain.
Sheikh Jamal, on nthe other hand, continued in the same vein and Sony doubled the margin in the 54th minute with a sudden shot from outside the box between Mohammedan defenders Ariful Islam and Mintu Sheikh, giving ‘keeper Mamun Khan little time to react.
The way Sony was creating havoc at the Mohammedan backline, he looked very likely to add to his tally, but a cynical challenge from Mohammedan’s Nigerian midfield Seasan Idowu cut short his stay on the pitch. The Nigerian got away with only a yellow card for stamping on Sony’s knee while the Haitian had to be stretchered off the field and taken to hospital.
Despite the absence of Sony, Sheikh Jamal never looked short of spirit in the remaining half an hour and created more chances. One of those chances resulted in the third goal when Mamunul unleashed a powerful left-footer from outside the box to beat Mamun Khan and put the side on course for the semifinal. Mohammedan did get a consolation goal though when Chuka Charles scored in the 84th minute, but that was too little to reverse the outcome of the match.
“I am very happy with the victory, but I apologise to all for my attitude at the dugout,” said Sheikh Jamal coach Joseph Afusi, who saw marching order for vehemently reacting on the foul on Sony while asking for a straight red card to Sesan.
Mohammedan’s assistant coach Jewel Rana felt that the quality of the foreign players between the two sides made the difference while his defenders did not learn from the mistakes they made in the previous matches.