Jamal beat Abahani, enter semis
Dhaka, January 17: Sheikh Jamal ousted holders Dhaka Abahani by 4-3 goals in the penalty shootout in the third quarterfinal of the Grameenphone Federation Cup at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Tuesday.
The scheduled time ended 2-2. Jamal’s Nigerian forward Assogba Allen scored twice while Jahid Hossain and Ghanaian Awudu Ibrahim netted one goal each for Abahani.
Sheikh Jamal took the lead in the 33rd minute when Assogba Allen pushed the ball inside the post after Abahani goalie Sohel failed to clear a free kick taken by Jamal’s Nigerian winger Femi Orunimi and Allen pushed the ball into the empty net (1-0).
Abahani hit back and was level in the 40th minute. Nasir’s cross headed by Ghanaian forward Twum Frank hit the crosspiece and fell into the feet of Jahid Hossain who placed the ball past Jamal goalie Aminul (1-1).
Jamal shocked Abahani again in the 44th minute as Allen netted his second after Abdul Baten Komol’s shot from a goalmouth melee fell in front of him and the Nigerian made no mistake (2-1).
Abahani came back strong after the break and Awudu Ibrahim pulled Abahani back in the 53rd minute. Receiving a Twum Frank cut back from the right edge of the box the Ghanaian playmaker coolly sent the ball into net from the middle of the box (2-2).
In the first five shots of the shootout Yoko Samnick, Assogba Allen, Towhidul Alam Sobuj scored for Jamal while Komol and Yussif Issah missed. Twum Frank, Waly Faisal and Awudu Ibrahim converted while Shakhawat Rony and Sujon missed to send the shootout to the sudden death. Samad Yussif of Abahani failed and Atikur Rahman Mishu netted in the sudden death to shoot Jamal into the semis.