Sheikh Jamal pay the penalty

Three-time champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club were eliminated from the group stages of the TVS Federation Cup following a 3-1 defeat against Saif Sporting Club at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

The Dhanmondi giants had taken a ninth-minute lead through Omar Jobe’s fine volley on a cross from Solomon King Kanform, but the lead lasted only six minutes as Saif defender Yeasin Arafat’s shot from outside the box took a wicked deflection off Kesto Kumar Bose, wrongfooting Sheikh Jamal keeper Ziaur Rahman.

The three-time champions, though, continued to look the more threatening side, but a penalty in the 82nd minute dashed their hopes. Saif’s Takjik forward Jahongir Ergashev clinically dispatched the spot-kick before Kyrgyz forward Murolimzhon Akhmedov’s long-range effort in injury time rubbed salt into the wounds of the Dhanmondi giants.

Sheikh Jamal coach Shafikul Islam Manik was livid with the refereeing and blamed the referee for his side’s early exit.

“We are out of the tournament due to poor refereeing. The penalty decision was totally wrong. We can’t expect this type of refereeing,” the veteran coach said after the match.

Saif coach Mohammad Nizam was happy to emerge group champions and thanked his charges for their performance. “It was not an easy match for us. I’m very happy that my players played according to my plan.”

The win helped Saif emerge Group C champions with four points from two matches while Sheikh Jamal missed out on a last-eight berth with a single point. Rahmatganj MFS, who drew against both these teams in their two matches, squeezed into the last eight as runners-up of Group C.

The result also means Saif will face newcomers Bangladesh Police in the third quarterfinal while Rahmatganj will be up against 11-time champions Abahani in the first quarterfinal.

Meanwhile, Chattogram Abahani topped Group B with a 2-0 win over 10-man Bashundhara Kings in the day’s first match at the same venue.

Rakib Hossain gave the port city side the lead in the 25 th minute before Charles Didier doubled the lead in the injury time of the first half. Bashundhara Kings, last edition’s beaten finalists, were down to 10 men after minutes before the second goal when Tajik defender Akhmat Nazarov was booked for the second time.

Bashundhara Kings kept striker Jalal Kdouh in the bench while resting two key players -- Nicolas Delmonte and Daniel Colindres. Even though Kdouh was brought on in the second half, the Lebanese failed to make an impact. It was Chattogram Abahani, instead, who could have scored more goals.

Brazilian forward Nixon Brizolara had an effort saved from the goalline in the 75th minute while Rakib’s header from pointblank range was saved by Bashundhara Kings goalkeeper Anisur Rahman four minutes later.

The win saw Chattogram Abahani through to the quarterfinals with six points from two matches while Bashundhara Kings progressed as group runners-up with three points.