Dhaka Abahani moved to the top in the Bangladesh League points table with a 2-0 win over Chittagong Mohammedan SC while their arch-rivals Dhaka Mohammedan Sporting Club also recorded a win on Friday.
Abahani are now sharing the top position with Muktijoddha Sangsad KC bagging 35 points each, though the latter played a game less.
Mohammedan, who beat Rahmatganj MFS 3-1 banking on a Sunday Chizoba hat-trick, are fifth place on 21 points from 15 matches. With this win, Mohammedan avenged their 0-2 defeat in the first leg to the same opponents.
Ghanaian playmaker Awudu Ibrahim and his local midfield partner Mohammad Robin struck one goal apiece after a barren first half to ensure full three points for the three-time champions Abahani.
Iranian player Keivan Sajediv finally made it to the starting line-up after a long wait for completion of his registration process, set up the first goal in the 75 minutes to help Abahani break the deadlock. Awudu headed home in a Sajediv’s curling corner-kick.
Sajediv also had a hand in Abahani’s second goal just minutes before the final whistle at the Bangabandhu National Stadium when substitute Robin’s diving header from his left-flank cross nestled in the net to give the holders a comfortable win in the end.
In the day’s other match at the Kamalapur Stadium, Sunday put Mohammedan ahead just nine minutes after the start but Rahmatganj’s Ugandan player Idris Kasirye’s solo effort restored parity in the 32nd minute.
But the captain’s compatriot Michael Ddumba pulled Mohammedan forward Anwar Hossain down four minutes later to concede a penalty and Sunday converted the spot-kick.
Sunday completed his first and the league’s seventh hat-trick, beating rival goalie Arifuzzaman Himel with a long-range effort in the 64th minute.
Results
Dhaka Abahani 2 (Awudu 75, Robin 89) v
Ctg Mohammedan SC 0
Dhaka. Mohammedan 3 ( Sunday 10, 36p, 64) v Rahmatganj 1 (Idris 31)
Courtesy of New Age
