Staff Correspondent
Holders Dhaka Abahani will be looking to wrap up the formalities of retaining their title when they will take on Sheikh Russell in the crucial tie of the Citycell B League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.
Abahani need just a draw in the match to retain the title of the country’s professional league with one match in hand. Abahani have 44 points from 18 matches while Sheikh Russell and Dhaka Mohammedan are tied on 35 both having played 17 matches and they can accumulate a maximum 44 points with wins in their last three matches. So a draw will be enough for Abahani to keep up their title and a win will put them in the sky. Sheikh Russell have only one way to keep their title hopes alive and it is a win in today’s game. Abahani had won the first leg match 2-0.
But the chance of Sheikh Russell looked slimmer on Wednesday when they found their reliable Moroccan forward Samir Omari is out of the match with three yellow cards suspension. It is indeed a major blow for Wazed Gazi’s team who will field only two foreigners, Serbian Marc Maric and Moroccan Ahmed el Mujahid.
‘To be frank I don’t see any realistic chance of winning the title as they are just one point away from it and they have another match in hand. I can only say that we are fighting for the runners-up slot with Mohammedan, but I can assure you that we will take the field to win to achieve our goal,’ said Wazed Gazi.
‘Abahani are flying high after their 3-0 win against Brothers Union and they still have a match against Rahmatganj to secure the title, we can just dominate them for while but we will be happy to do it,’ said Gazi.
Gazi’s main worry was to put someone up front as a partner of forward Alfaz but with another Moroccan Hafri Ahmed Reda flying back to Morocco he finds himself with no option other than putting second-choice Bulbul or Abu Morshed in the starting eleven.
Abahani coach Amalesh Sen has advised his players to keep their cool and not take any extra pressure or be over cautious. ‘I have asked them to stay calm, play their natural game, it will be enough, definitely we will not play for a draw and we are not taking Sheikh Russell lightly, we will win the match to complete our mission,’ said Amalesh.
‘What will be motivating my players is that they will have to wait for another ten days to complete our mission, I have told them “why should you wait that long, you have the abilities to beat Sheikh Russell, so do it today”,’ said Amalesh.
Amalesh welcomes back his two dependable midfielders, Arif Khan Joy and Mamun, after an injury scare and Abahani have no suspension problem. So they will be coming out firing on all cylinders and bring the curtain down on the title race. ‘
Courtesy: newagebd.com
