By Emdad Rahman
Newark Youth London have been crowned UK Bangladeshi champions after the team from London’s East End defeated Leeds One Formation 1-0 to lift the prestigious trophy at Valley Parade, the home of Bradford City.
The UK Bangladeshi Championships are played in a Champions League format: the winners of local leagues across the UK participate in one flagship tournament to decide which team is truly the cream of the crop. Both teams cruised through to the finals after competing in the preliminary rounds at Wanstead Flats, East London.
Newark fielded a team of talented youngsters who were excited and hungry at the prospect of playing a final at a historical professional football league ground. Their opponents, in contrast, were experienced and seasoned professionals, many of whom have played at semi-pro level.
It was a close and tight game, with Newark failing to put away a few clean chances. Heads dropped when holding midfielder Abdul Samad was sent off. Leeds made the man advantage count, but were kept at bay by outstanding saves from Sayed Hussain to keep scores level.
The young stopper’s shut-out boosted team confidence. With three quarters of the game played, Shafi Noor cleverly lobbed the Leeds keeper after shrugging off a few tackles in the box. The ball fell kindly to Noor who duly poked Newark into the lead. The vociferous Leeds supporters were silenced – after which Newark held on for a tense few minutes to wrap up victory.
Newark manager Ayas Miah said: “We are immensely proud of our achievements today. A special mention is reserved for the Bradford community for organising such a great day. It was a showcase event and we will treasure the warmth and hospitality of our hosts for a very long time. We look forward to many more days like this with even bigger crowds in the future.”
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