Abahani back on track
Chittagong Mohammedan defender Shawkat goes for a sliding tackle to stop a run by Abahani striker Emily during their Citycell B. League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.Photo: STAR
Amalesh Sen will have to find the right combination for Abahani's backline during Citycell B. League's Eid vacation despite his side's 2-0 win over visiting Chittagong Mohammedan yesterday.
The defending champions, after a shocking 2-1 defeat to Rahmatganj in the opening round, claimed their stake for the top spot after three rounds with two successive wins.
Striker Emily and Nigerian midfielder Emeka scored early in the first half at the almost empty Bangabandhu National Stadium to hand Chittagong Mohammedan their first defeat after two consecutive draws.
Abahani's six points will put them atop the table at the first break of the league if Brothers Union or Sheikh Russel failed to win in the ongoing round.
Although the scoreline suggests a comfortable victory, even the tired legs of the tourists -- who were playing their third game inside eight days -- found big holes in the Sky-blues defence after the break. However, the final efforts were either clumsy or not enough to beat the Dhaka giants' goalkeeper Biplab.
Skipper Nazrul, who had provided the chance for Abahani's lone goal in last week's 1-0 win against Farashganj away at Narshingdi, felt uncomfortable as rightback but once again showed his attacking flair by helping Emily find the net after 12 minutes.
Nazrul sent a high cross inside the area and Emily, after firing blank in the first two games, leaped in the air to get between Mohammedan centre-back Dhiman and goalkeeper Mamun Khan to stab a fine header into the net.
Biplab came to the rescue of the side three minutes later when the national custodian punched out a drive by rival captain Camara of Guinea.
It was then Touhid's turn to frustrate the visitors when an overlapping rightback Sharif picked up the striker, who failed to keep his header on target with Biplab standing helplessly at the near post in the 19th minute.
Abahani dominated the rest of the first half and Ibrhaim's dazzling run down the middle put the game beyond the Chittagong Black and Whites.
The Ghanaian forward raced past two defenders in one of his trademark runs and chipped an inch-perfect cross near the six-yard box where Emeka had no trouble to nod home for his second goal.
Emeka soon fired a chance wide from 20 yards while Touhid's hard work went down the drains when the visiting striker, having dodged Nazrul inside the penalty area, shot wide.
Abahani should have had a penalty on the stroke of halftime but referee Azad Rahman ignored a foul by Dhiman, who tripped Ujjal who went dangerously close to goal.
The Sky-blues looked clueless to the Mohammedan attacks after the break and Biplab had to work overtime to keep his side's two-goal lead.
Touhid once again fluffed a sitter eight minutes after resumption. This time, he had all the time and space to keep the ball straight but headed wide of the far post on a brilliant cross by Sharif.
Biplab then denied Anthony Doe's scorching drive from 20 yards on the hour and the resulting corner gave Raphael a chance to reduce the arrears. But the Abahani keeper held the otherwise off-colour Guinean striker's drop-header on the line.
Two minutes later, Sujan made a risky backpass and Raphael should have done better than placing the ball onto the defensive wall of Biplab.
Ujjal, who had earlier forced a one-handed save by Mamun Khan, set a chance for Abul in the 69th minute but the midfielder's last shot of the match was too wild.
Mohammedan kept the pressure but Biplab once again left his goal to foil Raphael's solo run four minutes later.
Sujan left the ground with injury minutes later and his replacement Obaidur started as rightback as Nazrul returned to the central defence, keeping things tight in the last 15 minutes.
"The first half was really good but we had trouble in the second. The defence looked shaky, giving the opposition a lot of chances," said coach Amalesh adding that he has yet to field his best side due to injuries.
Amalesh informed that injuries to Siraji, Pradeep and also to Sujan have been worrying.
"We have a long break and hope that they will recover before our next match," he added.
Chittagong Mohammedan coach Nazrul Islam blamed the fixture for their poor performance.
"It was our third game in eight days and after our last match, we did not get any time to train. During this period, we had to make two strenuous journeys. Still the boys created enough chances to take at least one point," the Mohammedan coach said.
TEAMS
ABAHANI: Biplab, Nazrul, Sujan (Obaidur), Yussif, Waly, Abul (Zahed), Pranotosh, Emeka, Ujjal, Ibrahim and Emily.
CTG MOHAMMEDAN: Mamun, Sharif, Dhiman, Shawkat, Pradip, Lincoln (Pavel), Daulat (Shafi), Doe, Camara, Raphael and Touhid (Chowmrin).
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