Abahani see off Sonali

Abahani forward Musa Mia (C) leaves a host of Sonali Bank players in his wake during their Green Delta Insurance Premier Hockey Super League match at the Maulana Bhasani National Stadium yesterday. Abahani won 5-3. Photo: STAR

Abahani overcame the first hurdle in the Super Five of the Green Delta Premier Division Hockey League when they handed a 5-3 thrashing to Sonali Bank at the Maulana Bhasani National Stadium yesterday.
The popular Dhanmondi outfit led the action-packed first half 4-2 and kept their cool in the second session to improve their tally to 25 points, five behind leaders Usha Krira Chakra who also got off to a good start by beating Ajax in the opener.
Abahani are in a must-win situation in the Super League and the title race will be wide open for them if the five-point advantaged Usha Krira Chakra slipped in any match.
The second-placed Abahani took control of the match from the very beginning and scored four goals in the span of 21 minutes but Sonali Bank strongly bounced back to jolt their more celebrated opponents.
It could have been a different story if Iqbal Nader Prince had not missed a one-on-one sitter after Sonali Bank strongly bounced back to reduce the margin to 4-3. Sheikh Mohammad Nannu and Rimon Kumar also missed two opportunities for the bankers.
Abahani however regrouped quickly to regain control of the match and it was specialist Mamunur Rahman Chayan who successfully completed the second penalty corner to make it 5-3 after he put his side ahead in the third minute.
Chayan's early success saw giants Abahani attacking continuously and after five minute Rasel Mahmud Jimmy found the net to double the margin.
The bankers looked shattered when Mashiur Rahman Feroz extended the lead with a field goal in the 12th minute and Imran Khan netted the fourth goal in the 21st minute.
With the 4-0 cushion, Abahani looked relaxed and the bankers made no mistake to take the chance to put pressure on the popular Sky Blues and the scenario totally changed when Sonali Bank scored three goals in a row.
Asaduzzaman Chandan scored the first goal for the bankers' in the 32nd minute from a penalty corner while promising Rimon Kumar, who was called up for the national squad for Asia Cup qualifier, brought the excitement by scoring two successive field goals in the 34th and 39th minutes.
Sonali remained on 19 points from 10 matches.
Mohammedan Sporting Club play their first Super League game today against Ajax Sporting Club at the same venue at 4pm.