Holders Abahani returned to the winning way but runners-up Mohammedan received a jolt in the eighth round of games of the Grameenphone Bangladesh League at different venues yesterday.
A brace from Ghanaian midfielder Twum Frank helped Abahani edge Arambagh 2-1 at the Birshreshtha Mostafa Kamal Stadium in Kamalpur while Mohammedan stumbled against 10-man Feni Soccer Club playing out a 2-2 draw at the Feni Stadium.
The fifth win in eight matches meant Abahani toppled leaders Muktijoddha Sangsad to reach 17 points, even though the Reds played a match less than Abahani’s eight.
Abahani’s bitter rivals Mohammedan, with their first draw in eight games, joined Rahmatganj MFS in third place on 13 points each while Arambagh and Feni Soccer have six and four points respectively.
Twum has become synonymous with success for the Sky Blues as the Ghanaian midfielder has found the back of net in all five matches Abahani has won and with yesterday’s brace Frank joined Muktijoddha Sangsad striker Mithun Chowdhury on the top of the soccer list with six goals.
After playing out a goalless draw against Muktijoddha Sangsad in the previous game, Abahani were expected to overcome lowly Arambagh easily and expectedly took a 20th-minute lead through Frank.
But it lasted only 16 minutes before Ismael Bangura levelled the margin.
However, Frank himself proved enough for Arambagh after striking the winner two minutes into stoppage time of the first half.
Away at the Feni Stadium, Feni Soccer were reduced to 10 men after Nadir was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 18th minute, but the Black and Whites failed to cash in on a one-man shortage and conceded the lead four minutes into the second half when Towhidul Alam put the hosts ahead.
Nigerian striker Emeka pulled off the goal in the 71st minute before his striking partner Anwar Hossain scored the second goal for Moha-mmedan seven minutes later. At that time it was expected that Mohammedan were going to post their fourth victory, but Maksudul Alam Bulbul stunned the visitors to level the margin two minutes from time to ensure Feni Soocer’s fourth draw in eight matches.