Sheikh Russel take lead
A stoppage-time strike from Haitian Sony Norde helped title contenders Sheikh Russel KC come from one goal down to beat Brothers Union 2-1 in
their Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
The fourth win in five matches put Sheikh Russel on the top of nine-team table with 12 points, two ahead of holders Abahani and Sheikh
Jamal Dhanmondi Club and Mohammedan Sporting Club while Brothers Union, with five defeats in a row, stuck to the bottom.
Kingsley Chigozie gave Brothers a 34th minute lead with a header before Moroccan Tarik Marzouk, playing his first match, equalised for Sheikh Russel through a tap-in eight minutes later. While the match was heading for a draw, Sony dazzled the supporters with the winner in the stoppage-time of the second-half.
Sheikh Russel came into the game on the back of a morale-boosting 1-0 win over holders Abahani and faced tough challenge from Brothers who looked determined to claim their first points after fourth straight defeat and both the sides put up an attacking football.
However Federation Cup champions Sheikh Russel launched the first attack through left flank with Sony advancing inside the box to provide a nice chip for Rezaul Karim, but the defender saw his header go just inches wide of the post in the 21st minute.
Four minutes later, Brothers came close to taking a lead when Samuel Adams put a through-pass for Toufiq Hasan but Sheikh Russel goalkeeper Biplob Bhattacharjee came out of the post timely to clear the ball outside of the box. But Biplob could not stop a Kingsley header off a cross from Brazilian Garcia Anderson in the 35th minute.
One goal down, Sheikh Russel stepped up the attack and winger Zahid Hossain raced into the box on the right flank to send a low-cross to Tarik, who just tapped in from handshaking distance to restore parity three minutes from the break.
After resumption, both sides looked serious to break the deadlock and Sheikh Russel should have taken the lead in the 60th minute, but defender Ashraf Mahmud Linkon failed to put the ball on target in an open net while Zahid found Brothers goalkeeper Sabuj Das Rogu in a one-on-one situation and tried to put the ball over the advancing goalkeeper. But Rogu denied Zahid to keep Brothers in the game.
Biplob once again rescued Sheikh Russel after thwarting a close effort from Kingsley before Sony, being set up by Zahid, darted in the box from the left to fire an angular shot past goalkeeper Rogu in the injury time.
"Despite trailing by one goal, we tried to keep the pace and finally left the field with another victory," said Sheikh Russel coach Maruful Haque, who however thanked Brothers Union for playing attacking football despite taking the lead.
"It was a difficult match for us as the opponents put in their full efforts for their first point and we were lucky to win the game," said Sony Norde.
"We have been working hard on the pitch and getting better as the league progresses, but we could not get the results. I think we still have time to improve and need to work more," said Brothers coach Ladi Babalola, adding that they were losing to better sides like Sheikh Russel, Abahani and Mohammedan.
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