Abahani salvage a point
An 85th-minute strike from Atiqur Rahman Meshu earned Abahani a valuable 1-1 draw against Mohammedan and kept them in the title race as they joined leaders Sheikh Russel KC at the top of the Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League table.
Ghanaian forward Osei Morison had put Mohammedan in the driving seat scoring in the 25th minute, but a late curling freekick from Meshu meant the honours were shared and Abahani got a valuable point.
Both Abahani and Sheikh Russel have 29 points now, but Sheikh Russel have three games in hand while Abahani have only two. Abahani will face Team BJMC and Muktijoddha Sangsad in their remaining matches.
Meanwhile, the other title-contenders Sheikh Jamal DC closed the gap with the leaders to a single point after posting a 2-0 win over Arambagh KS in the day's first match.
Mohammedan are out of the title race as they have only 21 points from 14 matches while Arambagh are staring at relegation as they stayed at the bottom with six points from 13 outings.
Mohammedan got into the after winger Mobarak Hossain replaced veteran Alfaz Ahmed, who was playing his last professional match, in the 19th minute. The nippy winger unsettled Abahani backline with his quick movement from the right and those movements resulted in the goal in the 25th minute. Morison, the leading goalscorer in the league, sent the ball over the advancing goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel after capitalising on a delightful chip from midfielder Maruf Ahmed.
After resumption, Abahani coach Ardeshir Pournamat sent on Abdul Baten Komol in place of Nigerian striker Lucky Paul to control the game and came close twice to levelling the margin.
Ghanaian Awudu Ibrahim played Komol on the left-hand side of the box and the winger squared it to unmarked Towhidul Alam who unbelievably sent his shot wide before Komol saw his powerful attempt denied by Mohammedan goalkeeper Mamun Khan in the 66th minute.
Abahani finally levelled the margin, thanks to the brilliant the free-kick from Meshu after they had survived a close call from Morison on 66 minutes.
Abahani even could have left the pitch with all three points had goalkeeper Mamun Khan not thwarted a long-range shot from Ibnul Siraji in the stoppage time.
Earlier, Sheikh Jamal confirmed they stayed well in the title race with a 2-0 win over strugglers Arambagh KS, although the relegation threatened side put up more than a fight.
Sheikh Jamal, who came into this match after a 2-3 defeat against Sheikh Russel KC in the Independence Cup final, almost conceded a lead in the eighth minute, but goalkeeper Masud Rana rescued them by thwarting a Khokon Das header.
Arambagh dominated in the first half and came close to taking the lead in the 35th minute but Nigerian midfield Uzemefon Joel floated his shot over the crosspiece.
The game seemed to be heading for a draw when, Towhidul Alam Sabuj broke the deadlock with an accurate header off an Arup Kumar Baidya cross in the 83rd minute. The diminutive striker then turned the provider as his cross was turned in by Nigerian midfielder Chibuke Ibeji in the stoppage time.
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