Midfielder Mamunul Islam struck the only goal at the start of the second half as Chittagong Abahani defeated fellow title-contenders Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club by 1-0 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Monday. The Bangladesh Premier League resumed after two weeks with defending champions Abahani Limited eking out a 3-2 win over 10-man Brothers Union at the same venue earlier in the day’s first match.
With the day’s outcome, the port-city outfit remained on top of points table with 25 points from nine matches while Jamal and Dhaka Abahani shared the second place with on 20 points from the same number of outings.
Brothers’ skipper Ashraful Karim’s own goal gave Abahani the lead before Nigerian forward Emeka Darlington and local striker Nabib Newaz Jibon added two more goals for the Sky-Blue outfit.
Haitian midfielder Augustine Walson and Ghanian forward Twum Frank scored a goal apiece to reduce the margin for Brothers.
Brothers wasted the first real opportunity of the match in the 14th minute when their Congolese striker Siyo Zunapio blasted the ball wide off the target with only the Abahani keeper to beat.
Abahani took the lead in the 18th minute when Ashraful headed the ball into his own net after a corner from Waly Faisal.
Emeka doubled Abahani’s lead in the 33rd minute with a header after a cross from Emon Babu.
Jibon made it 3-0 seven minutes later with another header from a Waly Faisal’s corner.
After conceding three goals, Brothers pushed hard to make a comeback in the match and they reduced one goal in the 45 minute when Augustine’s powerful drive from the edge of the box entered the net.
Brothers were reduced to 10-man when Arif Khan received a straight marching order early in the second half.
Ghanian Twum Frank scored the second goal for Brothers from a header on a cross from Zunpio in the 87th minute.
-With New Age input
