Bangladesh League
MSC end on a high
ONE FINAL CHASE: Arif Khan Joy, Abahani's skipper, chases Mohammedan striker Alamu Bukola in their last Bangladesh League encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. This was the popular midfielder's final competitive game.Photo: STAR
Mohammedan found fulfillment in the end with a 2-1 win over champions Abahani in their last Bangladesh League game at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. Mamunul Islam's 74th minute strike decided the contest that only sprang to life after Zahid Hasan Emily opened the scoring for the Black & Whites after 30 minutes, and once more when both sets of fans climbed the railings and chased each other with sticks and bricks after the game. The small number of police struggled to calm the supporters who had turned up with band parties despite this being an insignificant game. The win against Abahani meant Mohammedan not only broke Abahani's impressive 34-match unbeaten run in the league, but also recorded their first victory against their cross-town rivals in the professional football league. Mohammedan ended this league with 62 points from 24 games, remaining unbeaten throughout. The only thing that could have been decided in the game was the golden boot crown but that too would now fall into Enamul Haque's lap after Emily, who reached 19 goals with the opening goal in this game, left three minutes later due to a knee injury. Enamul, who didn't score yesterday, is on 21 goals and is a sure shot for the award. Emily's goal was cancelled out by a superb strike from Abahani's foreign recruit Awudu Ibrahim in the 42nd minute. The Ghanaian striker collecting a throw-in, stepped towards the box and drove in a spectacular dipping shot to level the margin for Abahani, giving Mohammedan's goalkeeper Aminul Islam no chance. But the experienced Aminul made two brilliant saves in the second half to keep them alive and having survived from those two close calls, Mohammedan reorganised to press hard to get the reward through a combined attack. Nigerian Bukola, who squandered a couple of scoring chances in the first half, ran down the left to cut it back for substitute Nasir, who then put it for unmarked Mamun and the playmaker drove a left-footer past Abahani goalkeeper Biplob Bhattacharjee. "After beating Abahani, we feel that we are unbeaten champions because we did not play any compromised or fixed matches as some other teams played so," said Mohammedan coach Ponir-uzzaman Ponir. "Now we have no dissatisfaction," said Mohammedan injured captain Arman Aziz while stand-in-captain Wali Faisal said, "It is always something to beat Abahani and it is a big achievement for me as I led the side." Abahani coach Amalesh Sen, however, said that they are disappointed for not beating Mohammedan in the last match and that his team played careless, unimpressive throughout the game as well as squandering at least four scoring chances.
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