National midfielder Abul, who came in as a substitute for Moroccan midfielder Mohamed Khoubbache -- taken on loan from Sheikh Russel, fired the visitors ahead 11 minutes after a scoreless first half.

Asif Yusuf cancelled the lead within seven minutes but Abul's second goal in the 73rd minute sealed the sky-blues' seventh win in 11 outings to frustrate a 3,000-strong home crowd at the MA Aziz Stadium.

On 22 points, Abahani are just one point ahead of Mohammedan and Muktijoddha, who clash tomorrow in the Dhaka derby in a bid to regain the pole position.

The black and whites from the port city stuck to 17 points after consecutive two defeats in the second leg.

In Dhaka, Farashganj defeated Khulna Abahani by an identical margin with Kabir Hossain's 45th minute goal giving the hosts a 1-0 lead at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Rezaul Hakim Pikul levelled the scores eight minutes after resumption but the Khulna outfit, who began above the riversiders in the table, were toppled with Rony Islam slotting the Farashganj match winner seven minutes from the final whistle.

Farashganj's third win took their collection to 14 points after 12 rounds while Khulna Abahani, from same number of games, stuck to 11.

Abahani, who rested in the first week of the second leg, survived an early threat when Liberian striker Momolu failed to contact a right-side cross by Asif in the goalmouth after nine minutes.

Although without their inspirational captain Camara, the Guinean midfielder, the hosts enjoyed superior ball possession in a very entertaining first half and Abahani's only attack on rival goal was in the 27th minute when Khoubbache unsuccessfully tested goalkeeper Tito from long range.

Abahani looked like reliving the horror of their goalless draw with Chittagong Mohammedan in the first leg when their Argentine forward Hernan Parodi missed a penalty in Dhaka as Ghanaian striker Ibrahim's angled drive came off the crossbar in the 53rd minute.

But Abul rescued the sky-blues three minutes later when he tapped the ball in from a corner by Zahed Parvez.

The lead was short lived as the hosts equalised with Asif's second goal in as many matches, the tall midfielder nodding home a centre by Dipu from the left.

Abul, who had lost a first team place following poor shows and failed to find the opposition net for a single time in the entire first leg, finally ensured Chittagong Mohammedan's second home defeat when he stabbed the ball into the back of the net again from a Zahed corner.

A visibly tired local side virtually gave up after this and Abahani, who will face Mohammedan in their next match on June 11, failed to increase the margin when Tito pulled off a fine save off Ujjal from the top of the box.