National striker Zahid Hasan Emily slammed a hattrick to power Sheikh

Russel KC into the quarterfinals of the Grameenphone Federation Cup from Group A through a massive 6-0 win over Rampur Boys Club of Feni at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

Big-budgeted Sheikh Russel's quarterfinal berth also ensured that Mohammedan SC will enter the last eight from the same group and they will face each other in the place-deciding match on Friday.

Apart from Emily’s treble, Haitian Sony Norde struck twice and Moroccan Mohammed Aboukacem netted one in the one-sided and slow affair in which winger Zahid Hasan hogged the show after assisting

four out of the six goals that Sheikh Russel scored.

Emily, whose poor form last season saw him hog the bench at Muktijoddha Sangsad found his feet again for the Blue and White outfit. The national striker scored against Bangladesh Police in the opener and now with this hat trick, he showed signs of returning to his old form.

"For a striker, a hattrick is always a big thing which keeps a player inspired to strike in each game,” said Emily who struck a hattrick last two seasons ago for Mohammedan SC.

"Last two seasons I played under tremendous pressure for different reasons but this time, I am getting wonderful help from both my teammates and the coach and I am playing without any pressure and it helps me a lot,” said Emily.

Emily put Sheikh Russel ahead in the ninth

Emily back in the goals

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minute with a close-range header and then Sony doubled the lead in the 14th minute with a volley from inside the box after being set up by Zahid. It was again Zahid who set up the Moroccan Aboukacem for a tap into an open net after just 25 minutes. By half-time, the lead stood at four, after Emily converted a spotkick just before the break.

After the resumption, Sheikh Russel seemingly adopted a soft approach to hold the ball in their midfield but did not hesitate to increase the margin. Sony Norde availing a through-pass from substitute Mithun Chowdhury sent the ball over the advancing goalkeeper to make it 5-0 in the 65th minute. By this time, all that was left was for Emily to complete formalities. And the national striker did so, finding his hattrick with a clinical tap-in from another Zahid cut-back.

Elsewhere, in a Group D match, Team BJMC brightened their chances of qualifying for the quarterfinals with a 2-0 win over Feni Soccer Club under the floodlights with Omar Faruque Babu and Taklish Ahmed scoring one goal each for BJMC, who are on top of (iroup D with six points.

At the Birshreshtha Shaheed Mostafa Kamal Stadium, Arambagh KS kept their Group D quarterfinal hopes alive after recording a 2-0 win over Khulna Abahani, who were eliminated after two successive losses.

Khokon and Liberian striker Benjamin Cooper struck one goal each for Arambagh, who must win against BJMC in their last match and hope that Feni Soccer lose to Khulna Abahani to progress to the last eight. Arambagh KS and Feni Soccer are level with three points each.