Sheikh Jamal and Rahmatganj moved into the quarterfinals of Walton Independence Cup after playing out a 2-2 draw in the last match of Group A at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The outcome of the match left all three teams of the group finishing on two points each, but Sheikh Jamal (3) and Rahmatganj (2) qualified at the expense of Mohammedan (1) due to having scored more goals.
Had the match ended in an outright victory for either side, Mohammedan would have progressed as group runners-up alongside the victorious side, but the Black and Whites had to pay for scoring only one goal in two matches.
Even though the Mohammedan faithful watching smelled of suspicion regarding the outcome of the match, coaches of both Sheikh Jamal and Rahmatganj vehemently categorically any wrongdoing.
“There is no chance of playing a compromised match. We went there to win and should have won, but could not do so due to poor finishing from our forwards,” said Rahmatganj coach Kamal Babu.
“It is very unfortunate to hear allegations from supporters despite having played better football than Rahmatganj,” said Sheikh Jamal coach Mahbub Hossain Roxy, who also claimed that had to play without injured defenders Yeasin Khan and Shyamol Mia and had to play captain-cum-defender Didarul Haque, who required injection to get on the field.
Both teams fought equally in the first half-hour before Rahmatganj created the first scoring opportunity in the 32nd minute, but Mohammad Sohel saw his weak header on a well-judged cross from Rashedul Islam Shuvo go straight to opposition goalkeeper Mohammad Nayeem.
Sheikh Jamal, meanwhile, took the lead in the 39th minute when Zahed Chowdhury entered the box after receiving a square-pass from Nurul Absar and drove a left-footer past goalkeeper Golam Mustafa Tuan.
After resumption, Rahmatganj played better, but Naimur Rahman Shahed headed wide from inside the box on the hour-mark before Shuvo tapped home a low cross from Saddam Hossain at near post to level the margin in the following minute.
Sheikh Jamal restored their lead in the 67th minute when substitute Rakib Sarker rose high to head home a cross from Khan Mohammad Tara. But the Old Dhaka outfit bit back after creating a number of scoring chances.
Shuvo rattled the post in the 69th minute and then squandered a close-range header in the following minute while Mohammad Helal drove off target two minutes later. Kamal Babu sent on Mohammad Elias in place of Helal and the substitute striker equalised the margin in the 79th minute.
However, neither team looked keen on scoring a winner in the remaining time as they both happily took the draw for the last-eight berths.
