DHAKA, – Abahani Limited, Dhaka, came from behind, forced Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club to split point when the big match ended in a 2-2 goal draw in the TVS Bangladesh Premier League Football held today at Bangabandhu National Stadium here.
In the day’s match, Sheikh Jamal’s two Gambian forwards Pa Omar Jobe and Solomon King Kanform scored one goal each in the first half while Nigerian forward Sunday Chizoba and Haitian striker Kervens Belfort netted one goal apiece for Abahani Limited in the second half as the six times league champions Abahani staged a brilliant comeback in the second half, despite trailing a 2-0 goal at the breather.
Sheikh Jamal continued onslaught at the beginning of the match and got the reap as prolific Gambian striker Pa Omar Jobe opened an account scoring the first goal in the 31st minute.
Another Gambian forward Solomon King Kanform again extended the lead scoring the second goal for Sheikh Jamal in the 45th minute of the match.
Back with a 2-0 goal lead after the first half, it was seemed Sheikh Jamal maintained their domination in the second half but immediately after the resumption, Abahani Limited came to the field with more organized away and staged a superb fightback by snatching the valuable point from Sheikh Jamal.
Nigerian forward Sunday Chizoba scored the first goal for Abahani Limited in the 52nd minute while Haitian striker Kervens Belfort restored the parity scoring the second goal for Abahani Limited in the 87th minute of the match, denying the victory of Sheikh Jamal.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club clearly dominated the first half, but they could not keep the tempo in the second half while Abahani Limited, despite training by 2-0 goal in the first half, showed class football in the second half and earned a fighting draw on the day.
With the day’s outcome, Sheikh Jamal remained at the second position in the points table with 38 points, thirteen points behind of table topper Bashundhara Kings, from 18 matches while the traditional sky blue Dhanmondi outfit Abahani Limited closely following Sheikh Jamal with 37 points playing 19 outings.
Earlier, in the first leg, the two teams also produced the same identical margin of 2-2 held at the same venue.
Squads:
Sheikh Jamal DC – Rezaul, Otabek, Pa Omar, Solomon, Mazharul, Omar Faruk, Moni Hossain, Samiul Islam, Shamol Miah, Ariful Islam and Sulayman Shila.
Abahani Limited – Shaidul, Nasir Uddin, Tutul Hossain, Sohel Rana, Rubel Mia, Saad Uddin, Sunday, Saighani, Belfort, Ridoy and Raphael Augusto.
