Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra celebrated their maiden Bangladesh Premier League title with a 2-1 win against visiting Feni Soccer Club in their last match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
With the band playing in the western gallery among a few hundred spectators, Russel, who confirmed the title in the previous match, put the icing on the cake with goals from Nigerian Alamu Bukola and striker Zahid Hossain Emily. Emily scored his seventh league goal with a tap-in in the 62nd minute after Bukola opened the account in the 16th minute with a nice flick.
But the match that was only of an academic interest saw a bitter end for Haitian Sony Norde, the best foreign recruit in the league who was sent off at the fag end of the match after a scuffle with Feni defender Shimul.
Norde, who was instrumental in Russel’s success this season, might not be available in the Dhaka league next season as he has decided to try out for a second division club in England where he intends to stay if he successfully passes his trial.
The skilful playmaker said after the match that he was not unhappy with the standard of football in Bangladesh but expressed his disappointment at the low turnout of spectators throughout the season. Sheikh Russel, who celebrated a treble-winning season after the match, finished with highest 38 points from 16 matches. Sheikh Jamal, with 28 points from 15 matches, stand a chance to finish runners-up ahead of Abahani if they beat Brothers Union in the final game of the sixth edition of the professional league at the same venue today.
However, the immediate challenge for Sheikh Russel is to retain their key players who have reportedly decided to leave the club in the upcoming season.
“The club management wanted to keep this squad intact for the next season by paying the players more than they would get from other clubs,” said coach Maruful Haque.
“If they really decide to join other clubs, then the vacuum that will be created by their departure will not be easy to fill up.”
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