Abahani blow title race wide open

The race for the Green Delta Insurance Premier Division Hockey League title was blown wide open as Abahani defeated Dhaka Mariner Young's Club 2-1 in their final Super Five match at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium yesterday.

Earlier, fellow title contenders Mohammedan Sporting Club returned to winning ways with an emphatic 6-0 win over Sonali Bank at the same venue.

With their fourth straight win in as many Super Five matches, Abahani joined the Black and Whites on top of the table on 39 points each. However, Mohammedan will play their final match of the league on Thursday against Mariner Young's, who currently have 36 points from 14 matches.

Thursday's Super Five encounter between Mohammedan and Mariner Young's has virtually turned into the title-deciding match as the Motijheel-based outfit will regain the trophy for the first time in six years if they can secure just a single point. On the other hand, Mariner Young's can spoil the party if they notch a straight victory and push the league into a play-off competition among the top three teams -- Abahani, Mohammedan and Mariner Young's -- to decide the winner.

Although Abahani came into the match 22 hours after beating Mohammedan 3-2, the defending champions failed to capitalise on the Sky Blue's lack of energy.

Farhad Ahmed Shitul gave Mariner Young's the lead in the 33rd minute by scoring from a penalty corner set-piece. However, Roman Sarker levelled the margin 11 minutes later with a brilliant shot.

Ashraful Islam then scored the winner by converting a penalty stroke in the 51st minute.

In the day's first match, Mohammedan suffocated Sonali Bank as captain Rasel Mahmud Jimmy slotted a hattrick while Gurjinder Singh added two and Rabbi Salehin scored one.