Police draw further dents Sheikh Jamal’s chances
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club lost more ground in the title race of the Bangladesh Premier League following a 3-3 draw against Bangladesh Police at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The three-time champions, who had won their first five matches to challenge runaway leaders Bashundhara Kings, have now fallen off the pace following their fourth straight draw.
This was the Dhanmondi giants' second consecutive 3-3 draw as they had eked out a 3-3 draw against Uttar Baridhara last week following a 2-2 draw against Abahani and a controversial goalless draw against the champions.
Shafiqul Islam Manik's charges now have 19 points from nine games, three behind Abahani who have played 10 matches and nine adrift of Bashundhara Kings, who too have played 10 matches.
Bangladesh Police, on the other hand, moved to nine points from nine matches.
Sheikh Jamal took the lead three times in the match, but everytime Police found a way back into the match and they had Sheikh Jamal goalkeeper Ziaur Rahman to thank for.
The former national team keeper failed to judge the flight of the ball when Police midfielder Murolimzhon Akhmedov's floating effort from 30 yards sneaked into the net on 33 minutes.
The goal cancelled out Omar Jobe's opener on 10 minutes, the Gambian dinking the ball over Police goalkeeper Mohammad Nehal for his 11th goal of the campaign.
Valijonov Otabek stabbed home the second Sheikh Jamal goal in the 40th minute, but Ziaur was again at fault six minutes later when he was beaten at near post by Frederic Pooda as the first half ended 2-2.
Sheikh Jamal took the lead for the third time in the fourth minute of the second half when Solomon King buried home a rebound after Suleiman Sillah's initial shot was parried to the far post by Nehal, but Pakeer Ali's charges scored a third equaliser in the 69th minute when Mohammad Jewel tapped home after Jalal Miah's header was pushed back in front of goal by Sheikh Jamal's substitute goalkeeper Mamun Khan.
Both sides had further chances to score a decisive fourth goal, but neither managed to do so as they had to bag a point apeace.
Meanwhile, Muktijoddha Sangsad and Brothers Union played out a goalless draw in the second match of the day, leaving the former at 10th position with eight points from nine matches and Brothers in 12th position with two points from same number of matches.
Comments