Rony the difference

Abahani striker Sakhawat Hossain Rony (R) celebrates one of his two goals, with winger Atiqur Rahman Meshu, that powered his side to a 2-0 victory over archrivals Mohammedan in the Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.Photo: STAR

A brace from Sakhawat Hossain Rony powered Abahani to a 2-0 win over archrivals Mohammedan in the Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.
Rony, playing for the starting eleven for the second time in six matches, struck a goal in each half to take Abahani to the top with 13 points from six matches, one ahead of Sheikh Russel KC and three clear of Mohammedan and Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club.
"I have been playing in the professional football league since its introduction but never scored against Mohammedan. I am really happy that I did it today which helped my team in winning the game," said Rony.
"I used to get a little too excited when it comes to finishing, but today [Friday] I kept my cool and availed the opportunities I got," said Rony.
The Chittagonian put Abahani ahead in the 12th minute of the game with a sliding nod after Touhidul Alam had snatched the ball from defender Yeasin to provide him with the low cross.
The national striker killed Mohammedan's hopes as he sealed the victory with a clinical finish in the 63rd minute, this time being set up by Ghanaian midfielder Awudu Ibrahim. Rony ran on to a delectable throughpass from Abahani's midfield marshal Ibrahim before placing the ball past Mohammedan keeper Mamun Khan for the left side of the net.
Having lost against Sheikh Russel KC in their previous match, Abahani were determined to turn the table and put in an impressive performance to delight some 2,000 or so fans. For the Mohammedan fans though, who were bigger in number, the chilly evening felt chillier as their players kept chasing their own shadows.
Despite deploying five players in the midfield, Mohammedan could hardly keep possession throughout the game and Ibrahim, who was absent in Abahani's 0-1 loss to Sheikh Russel, played the key role by unsettling Mohammedan's three-man backline numerous times.
Mohammedan struck together a few sporadic attacks and came close to erasing the lead in the 40th minute from a goalmouth-melee but Abahani captain Wali Faisal rescued his side by clearing a header from Mustapha Ibrahim off the line.
Mustapha was unlucky again as his bicycle kick on a Monitur Munna free-kick went inches over the crosspiece, eight minutes into the second-half.
"The game was very important for the history associated with it. The boys understood my strategy and tactic what they could not do in the last match," said a smiling Abahani coach Ardeshir Pournamat.
"We conceded both goals due to mistakes from the defenders, who went charging early instead of holding their line," said Mohammedan's assistant coach Jewel Rana. "The inexperienced local players could not take the pressure after conceding an early lead while the foreign players failed to keep their cool as they kept shouting at their local teammates."
Jewel Rana however believed that all of the title contenders were still in the run and that the title race would go down to the wire as they still had 10 matches in hand.