Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club blanked Mohammedan Sporting Club by 2-0 to make a winning start in the Saif Power Battery Bangladesh Premier League football yesterday. Held at the Bangabandhu National Stadium, in the keenly competitive day’s second match, Sheikh Jamal’s Mamoudu Bah struck in the injury period of the first half while Raphael Odovin scored the second goal in the 86th minute.

Mohammedan Sporting Club, which had an enormous struggling time last season when they narrowly escaped from the relegation finishing on 10th position out of 12 teams, this time formed a better side and despite conceding defeat, they fought almost evenly throughout the 90 minutes time in the game.

However, Sheikh Jamal, who grabbed the deserving win, went on attack right from the first whistle and took the first attempt to take lead in the very fifth minute. A strong effort of Nurul Afsar, however, shattered the cross piece.

Jamal finally broke the deadlock in the first minute of the injury period of the first half through Mamoudu Bah when the Gambian fired home a right footer from the goal-mouth melee utilising the lapse of Mohammedan defenders, who failed to clear the ball coming from the left wing (1-0).

The second half also began with huge challenge from both sides, with Jamal still retaining better command in the game. Mohammedan could have had the equalizer on the 54th minute, but a good header of Samson Illiuasu narrowly missed the post, kissing the cross bar.

Jamal, who was trying hard to double the margin, finally made the tally 2-0 on 86th minute when substitute Zahid Pervej Chowdhury made a right side cross very close to the goal-line and Raphael rushed quickly to touch the ball, making it cross the goal-line (2-0).