Sk Jamal's wasted chance

Title contenders Sheikh Jamal DC wasted an ideal opportunity to take the solo lead in the Bangladesh Premier League after being held to a 1-1 draw by newcomers Saif SC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

The draw left the three-time champions on 44 points from 19 matches, a point behind defending champions Abahani. Early pace-setters Chittagong Abahani are a further point behind in third position, with three rounds of matches remaining. Saif SC remained in fourth position with 35 points.

“Though we missed the chance to go top, the title race is still wide open. The difference among the top three teams is very small and no one can boldly say that they will win the title,” Sheikh Jamal coach Mahbub Hossain Roxy said after the match.

“The next two matches of the top three teams are very crucial as they will play each other and the picture will be clear after that,” said Roxy, who saw his side drop points for the second time since taking charge following the departure of former coach Joseph Afusi.

Sheikh Jamal came into the match on the back of three successive victories, but they looked short of determination against a side that held them to a goalless draw in the first leg. They conceded as early as the sixth minute when Saif SC striker Charlie Sheringham was left unmarked inside the box on a well-judged cross from Rahmat Mia, with the Englishman comfortably nodding in.

The Dhanmondi giants twice came close to reimbursing the goal but Nurul Absar and Javed Khan wasted the opportunities. Absar, availing a cutback from Raphael Odoyin, floated one over the bar in the 17th minute before a sudden long-range attempt from Javed went inches over the bar in the next minute.

The pressure, though, paid off in the 22nd minute when Hemanta Vincent Biswas committed a foul on the edge of the box to award a free-kick to Sheikh Jamal. Gambian forward Solomon King curled the free-kick into the top corner of the net.

One minute before the break, Saif SC got another brilliant opportunity when Miraz Hasan released a cross for striking duo Charlie and Hember Valencia, but neither could get on the end of it with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Saif SC enjoyed domination after the break and created another opportunity to restore the lead but Kabirul Islam saw his left-footer from inside the box go wide of the far post after taking a deflection off a Sheikh Jamal defender as both sides settled for a draw.

Meanwhile, substitute Joshim Uddin Sujan scored a stunning goal from 35 yards to give relegation-threatened Farashganj SC a valuable point against Arambagh KS.

In an otherwise insipid encounter, none of the teams managed to break the deadlock within 90 minutes before the six minutes of added time produced some excitement.

Nigeria's Alamu Bukola converted from the spot to give Arambagh the lead two minutes into stoppage time before Sujan drove a dipping shot from 35 yards to score the equaliser in the penultimate minute of stoppage time.

The draw helped Farashganj move out of the drop zone and into 11th position with 14 points, one ahead of Rahmatganj MFS, while Arambagh stayed in ninth position with 16 points.