Otabek, Absar give Sheikh Jamal winning start
Three-time champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club got off to a winning start in the Bangladesh Premier League with a 2-1 win over title-hopefuls Chattogram Abahani at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The Dhanmondi giants did not enjoy better ball possession or attack, but drove home the advantage after a slightly fortuitous goal towards the end of the first half.
Chattogram Abahani, on the other hand, looked disjointed without their inspirational midfielder Charles Didier, who was serving a suspension following a red card in the semifinal of the Federation Cup against Saif Sporting Club.
Nixon Brizolara returned to the port city side after missing out the knockout stages of the Federation Cup through an injury, but his movements and efforts in front of goal was well short of what was expected of him judging by the performances in the group stage matches.
The Brazilian was heavily involved in the game as he was the target of most of the attacks from Chattogram Abahani, but his first major contribution to the game resulted in the opening goal for Sheikh Jamal.
The Brazilian, who scuffed a few attempts at the opposition goal in the opening half-hour, was part of a two-man wall when Sheikh Jamal earned a free-kick from the left side of the box in the 40th minute. Uzbek midfielder Vali Jonov Otabek tried to pick the near corner of the post with a swinging effort, but the ball took a massive deflection off Nixon and ended up at the far corner of the net, leaving Chattogram Abahani goalkeeper Mohammad Nayeem completely wrongfooted.
The goal came as a shot in the arm for Sheikh Jamal, who doubled the lead five minutes after restart, with Nurul Absar picking the corner of the net with a powerful header on a cross from Monir Hossain.
Although Absar profited from the non-existent marking inside the box, his header and the precision of it was a rare sight for a local forward in Bangladesh's domestic football.
The two goalscorers of Sheikh Jamal were on the prowl once again 12 minutes later, but this time Nayeem was equal to the task.
Chattogram Abahani coach Maruful Haque made a couple of tactical substitutions and his team became more involved in the game, earning a spot-kick in the 84th minute which Nixon dispatched with confidence but that aggression came a little too late as Sheikh Jamal held on to their lead to leave the field with three points.