Russel keep up chase

Sheikh Russel's Moroccan recruits Samad Omari (R) and Salah Maslous (L) celebrate after their team's third goal against Chittagong Abahani in a Bangladesh League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.Photo: STAR

Sheikh Russel KC survived a scare in the second half before handing visitors Chittagong Abahani a 3-1 defeat in their home match of the Bangladesh League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Moroccan Salah Maslous, Jahidur Islam and Samad Omari struck one goal apiece for Russel while Mithun Chowdhury pulled one goal back, which was more entertaining in the second half with both sides putting up a show of attacking football.
It seemed that Russel thought they were going to win the game easily against a side, who suffered a 2-0 defeat to them in Chittagong. But their victory was not so easy and at once it seemed they were going to drop their first points in the second leg before surviving a few close calls to beat Chittagong Abahani.
Sheikh Russel looked determined to repeat the feat of their first meeting and came within a whisker of taking the lead inside 16 minutes but Rajon Miah failed to turn in a Salah Maslous corner from the top of the eight-yard box.
Chittagong Abahani also squandered a sitter with national striker Mithun Chowdhury driving a weak shot straight to goalkeeper Mamun Khan in the 34th minute.
Sheikh Russel, however, were very unlucky not to get the lead soon after as an Aminul Islam strike off a Jamal Nakhle corner came off the post just one minute before the break.
After the resumption, both sides pressed hard for a lead and Russel came close twice with Rezaul Karim and Aminul sending chances wide and Salah finally broke the deadlock when a rebound off an Omari header came his way and the Moroccan winger chipped home from the edge of the box in the 58th minute.
But their joy lasted only two minutes as Abahani's national striker Mithun availing a cross from the right darted into the box to dodge the goalkeeper and level the margin.
In the 68th minute, Samir should have doubled the margin, but he drove an Abdullah Parvez left-side cross miles off the target when composure was needed to find the back of Abahani's net.
When it seemed that the match was going to head for a draw, defender Zahirul eased the pressure for Sheikh Russel after he volleyed in a cross from substitute Mobarak Hossain in the 80th minute.
Omari made the result safe after he was badly tackled by Jamiruddin inside the danger zone. The Moroccan made the result safe converting the resultant spot kick and taking himself to the top of the scorers list with 13 goals in 16 matches.
Sheikh Russel with their 12th win in 16 matches lifted their point tally to 39, three less than second-placed Mohammedan Sporting Club. Chittagong Abahani with their seventh loss in 16 matches stuck to 17 points to stay fifth.