Injury scare in Palestine win

Favourites Palestine got a winning start to their Bangabandhu Gold Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Tajikistan in a Group A encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Jonathan EC Zorrila put Palestine ahead in the very first minute before captain Abdallatif MS Albahdari headed one home in the 75th minute of the keenly contested affair. Tajikistan defender Qalandarov Bakhtiyor was forced out of the match due to a supposed neck injury following a tussle in the air with Abdallatif in the 85th minute. Bakhtiyor was then taken to a hospital directly from the field, leaving Tajikistan with 10 men for the rest of the match as they had already availed all three substitutions.

With this triumph Palestine brightened their hopes for a spot in the semifinals, needing only a draw against Nepal who lost to Tajikistan in the group opener, to progress. If Nepal drop points against Palestine in their last group game then both Tajikistan and Palestine will advance to the semifinals from Group A.

Palestine went ahead early on before Tajikistan managed to settle down. Oday IM Dabbagh ran down the right flank and released a low cross from inside the box to Jonathan EC Zorrila, who made no mistake as he drove the shot home and stunned Tajikistan. Tajikistan came into the match on the back of a 2-0 win over Nepal.

However, Tajikistan regrouped and fought neck-to-neck throughout the first half. Jonathan came close to doubling the lead eight minutes into the second half but goalkeeper Rizoev Rustom frustrated the marksman.

Tajikistan launched a number of attacks from either flank but they failed to break Palestine's backline until Muhammad Jon Rahimov provided a nice cross in the 65th minute, however, the unmarked Ergsheve Jahongir and Juradoev Amirdek could not beat the goalkeeper.

Ten minutes later, Palestine wrapped up the victory as Abdallatif headed in a Shadi SM Shaban corner. Tajikistan had two more good opportunities to score in the dying minutes but Palestine goalkeeper Rami KA Hamada thwarted those efforts from Rahimov and Nazzarov Akhtam.