Abahani edge past Feni
Abahani edge past Feni
A late strike from substitute Towhidul Alam brought Abahani back to winning ways in the Nitol Tata Bangladesh Premier League as they handed a 2-1 defeat to surprise-package Feni Soccer Club at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Midfielder Jamal Hossain had put Abahani ahead midway through the first half, but the lead was cancelled by Feni's Gambian forward Landing Darboe three minutes before the break. But Towhidul, coming on as a substitute, ensured the Sky Blues' victory by striking seven minutes before the end.
The sixth win in 11 matches means four-time professional league champions Abahani moved to 22 points, five behind leaders Sheikh Jamal while Independence Cup runners-up Feni Soccer remained in eighth position with seven points from same number of matches.
Abahani's Iranian coach Ali Akbar brought three changes in the starting eleven with debutant Umaru Mustapha replacing out-of-form Osei Morison and right-back Nasir Hossain and Soikat Bhoumik replacing Wali Faisal and Mohammad Sujan respectively. The changes had an impact as Abahani played possession football from the beginning and yielded two good opportunities within the first five minutes but Portuguese winger Leonildo Suares was denied by Feni goalkeeper Mohammad Nehal and defender Abu Sufian in those two occasions.
However, Abahani took a deserved lead in the 22nd minute when Mustapha, availing a long ball from Saikat, raced on to the danger zone and cut the ball back to Awudu Ibrahim, who squared it to unmarked Jamal. The diminutive midfielder beat Nehal with a grounder.
Afterwards Feni took the control of the match and hit back through Landing, who found the back of the Abahani net with free-kick which took a deflection off the wall on 42 minutes.
After resumption, Feni established their total control on the game and scared Abahani by launching number of attacks which virtually exposed the Abahani backline. The Sky Blues were lucky not to concede any more goals, thanks to some unforgivable misses from Gambian Mathew Mendy and Nigerian Chuka Charles.
Abahani brought two changes as they sent on winger Towhidul and striker Shohel Rana in place of Jamal and Mustapha and the pair had an impact in the latter part of the game, which resulted in the winning goal.
Suares worked hard down the right flank and put a low cross which Towhidul fired in from close range to provide something to cheer about for a few hundred Sky Blues faithful, who had boycotted last match.