Sheikh Jamal go top

Sheikh Jamal climbed to the top of Bangladesh Premier League table with a 2-0 win over Sheikh Russel after leaders Saif SC stumbled to a 1-1 draw against lightweights Arambagh at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Three-time champions Sheikh Jamal extended their winning streak to four games and now top the 13-team table with 12 points, one more than second-placed Saif SC, who could have gone top with an outright win in their sixth match.

However, Saif squandered a lead but were perhaps happy with the point after losing their home match 0-2 to Sheikh Jamal. 

Reigning champions Bashundhara Kings have 10 points, as do Abahani and Chattogram Abahani.

Following a morale-boosting win over Saif SC in Mymensingh, Sheikh Jamal took on struggling Sheikh Russel at home and got a goal each from Gambian duo Solomon King and Omar Jobe.

Sheikh Russel came close to breaking the deadlock in the ninth minute but Nigerian defender Alison Udoka saw his powerful shot ricochet off the post. Jobe then threated by breaking into the box before defender Uttam Kumar Banik blocked his shot.

But the Sheikh Russel defenders could not stop Solomon, who brought Kesto Kumar's long ball under his spell on the edge of the box before stepping up and dispatching a powerful shot past goalkeeper Ashraful Islam Rana in the 24th minute.

In the 55th minute, Jobe changed the direction of Zahid Hossain's shot to ensure Sheikh Jamal's fourth victory as well as Sheikh Russel's third defeat in six matches.

In the second match, Saif SC faced a stiff challenge from Arambagh under floodlights sans their two foreign players -- Jahongir Ergashev of Tajikistan and Rwandan defender Emery Bayisenge.

Arambagh, who now have five points from as many games, created chances one after another but their forwards failed to capitalise before Saif SC took the lead against the run of play with defender Yeasin Arafat heading home a corner from fit-again Jamal Bhuiyan in the 28th minute.

After resumption, Saif SC had more possession in midfield and Jamal rattled the post in the 51st minute before Arambagh hit back through a header from defender Didarul Haque in the 61st minute.

Both Arambagh and Saif SC came close to taking the lead again. First, Eleta Kingsley broke into the box, but the Nigerian was denied by Saif goalkeeper Pappu Hossain in the 72nd minute. Saif SC then saw young forward Faisal Ahmed Fahim drive wide when facing an open net.