Abahani stifle MSC's hopes

Abahani closed the gap with leaders Usha KC in the Green Delta Insurance Premier Hockey League by beating archrivals Mohammedan SC 4-2 in the Super Six encounter at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium yesterday.

The win took the joint champions of the last edition to within five points of Usha, who have 34 points from 12 outings. On the other hand, the defeat left Mohammedan, who had returned to the domestic circuit after two seasons, all but out of the title race with 26 points from 12 outings.

“I think the outcome of today's match will have no impact on the title race. We can only dream of retaining the league title if a few miracles happen,” Abahani's advisory coach Mahbub Harun opined after the match.

The game got off with the promise of an entertaining encounter, but Abahani turned it into a one-sided affair by availing most of the opportunities they got despite Mohammedan enjoying the lion's share of possession throughout the game.

The first meeting of the league between the two traditional powerhouses had experienced a lot of scuffles and tense moments, but it was a completely calm affair this time as there were no untoward incidents on the pitch.

Mohammedan snatched the first penalty corner in the fifth minute, but the combination of three Pakistanis -- Umer Bhutta, Tasvar Abbas and Mohammad Imran -- failed to convert the chance while Rasel Mahmud Jimmy exposed the Abahani backline to provide an excellent delivery to Bhutta, who failed to hit the board from close range in the 10th minute.

Abahani, however, took the lead against the run of play when Shafqat Rasool, Moshiur Rahmna Biplob and Kasif Ali combined, with the latter finding the back of the net with a flick in the 15th minute before Shafqat failed to beat Mohammedan goalkeeper Zahid Hossain from a difficult angle in the next minute.

Mohammedan came close to equalising the margin four minutes later, but Abbas saw his goal-bound push cleared by Kasif Ali before Abahani doubled the lead in the 22nd minute, with young Razib Das diving to connect a fierce hit from Rumman Sarker.

Mohammedan continued to enjoy more possession after restart, but Abahani looked dangerous on the break. Zahid produced a good save in the 42nd minute before Jimmy reduced the margin in the next minute.

But Abahani widened the margin yet again and took the game away from Mohammedan in the 48th minute as Rumman and Shafqat played a nice one-two between them before the latter hit the board with a fierce hit from inside the circle.

Mohammedan pulled another back to make it 3-2, with Pakistani recruit Mohammad Irfan converting a penalty stroke in the 58th minute before Razib struck his second in the 61st minute to wrap up the win. 

“I don't see any chance of getting back in the title race as there is an eight-point gap with the league leaders,” Mohammedan coach Jamal Haider said. “We had a lack of combination throughout the season; we even did not get all the Pakistani players together. That's why Mohammedan could not succeed in the Club Cup and the Premier League.”