Relief for Sk Jamal despite draw
A diving header in the stoppage time of the second half ensured a thrilling draw for Rahmatganj MFS but despite the late setback, their opponents Sheikh Jamal would still be happy to have emerged from a two-match losing streak in their Bangladesh Premier League encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
In the second game of the day, defending champions Abahani bounced back from their biggest scoreless defeat at the hands of newcomers Bashundhara Kings by handing a 2-0 defeat to Muktijoddha Sangsad, who came into the match on the back of a morale-boosting 3-0 win over Sheikh Jamal DC in the previous match.
Back to the day game, three-time champions Sheikh Jamal came into the match on the back of successive defeats to newcomers Bashundhara Kings and lowly Muktijoddha Sangsad. Rahmatganj MFS, meanwhile, held their mighty opponents after playing a 1-1 draw against Chittagong Abahani in the previous match.
Sheikh Jamal, who had a worst run of three successive defeats to Mohammedan SC, Sheikh Russel KC and Arambagh KS during the 9th Bangladesh Premier League, were desperately seeking to escape the blues but conceded a lead against minnows Rahmatganj, whose 10 previous meetings with Sheikh Jamal had yielded two wins and four draws.
Congolese striker Siyo Zunapio nutmegged his marker Ariful Islam inside the box before firing home in the eighth minute and Sheikh Jamal's despair deepened when Solomon King squandered a spot-kick in the 21st minute.
However, Sheikh Jamal bounced back to level the margin in the 40th minute when Solomon King unleashed a brilliant bicycle kick inside the box to find the back of the Rahmatganj net. Then, Argentine Luciano Araya Perez danced past Nigerian defender Monday Osagie to give Sheikh Jamal a lead with an angular shot in the 83rd minute.
But Sheikh Jamal failed to hold onto the lead as Rahmatganj levelled the margin in the stoppage time with a diving header from Monday off a Zunapio cross.
“Everyone knows Sheikh Jamal plays for the championship every season. We could not start well, I must admit that as the coach. I take responsibility. The more important thing is that the boys were upset after the last match against Muktijoddha Sangsad. Securing one point is much better than zero. I still believe there is room to come back as only three matches have gone,” said Sheikh Jamal's Nigerian coach Joseph Afusi.
ABAHANI OUTCLASS MUKTIJODDHA
Later in the day, six-time champions Abahani dominated the freedom fighters side from the outset as striking duo Sunday Chizoba and Kervens Fils Belfort exposed the opposition backline time and again.
The pressure finally paid off when Muktjoddha Sangad forward Ballo Famoussa, trying to head Raihan Hasan's long throw away to safety, instead nodded it into their own net in the 30th minute.
Abahani then came close to doubling the lead in the 60th minute but Tapu Barman saw his header off a Wali Faisal cross well parried away by goalkeeper Arifuzzaman Himel at the cost of a corner.
Sunday then struck the second goal with a curving shot from the top of the box in the 69th minute to ensure their 11th win over Muktjoddha Sangsad in 22 outings of the professional football league.
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