Abahani suffer first defeat
Title aspirants Abahani suffered their first defeat of the Bangladesh Premier League season, going down 2-3 to visiting Chittagong Abahani at the Sylhet District Stadium yesterday.
The result led to Abahani losing their lead at the top to Bashundhara Kings, who are now two points clear with 15 points. Chittagong Abahani joined the title race, with 12 points from six matches.
Abahani got off to a fine start and took a lead in the 16th minute as Daniel Colindres availed a long ball from Abu Sayeed and darted into the box before finish with his left. But the lead lasted only three minutes as Chittagong Abahani levelled the margin with a header from Ebimobowei Thankgod, the man who struck a hattrick in the previous match against Saif SC.
With Abahani enjoying more possession and pressing for lead, the visitors concentrated on counter attacks and it played to the visitors' advantage as William Twala and Omit Popalzay struck in the 37th and 64th minutes to get a 3-1 lead.
As Chittagong Abahani defended deep, Abahani continued to dominate the ball. Eventually, Brazilian Raphael Augusto reduced the margin to 3-2 with an over-head kick in the 89th minute but Abahani could not avert their first defeat of season and a second overall defeat to Chittagong Abahani in 22 league meetings.
In the day's other matches, Saif SC returned to winning ways with a massive 5-1 triumph over newcomers Swadhinata KS, riding on a hat-trick from Emeka Ogbouh at the Muktijoddha Smriti Stadium in Rajshahi.
Saif SC, who came into the match on the back of two successive defeats and a draw, dominated from the beginning before Emery Bayisenge released the floodgates in the 15 minute with a header. Emeka Ogbugh doubled the lead after dancing past three defenders in the 35th minute.
After resumption, Saif made it 3-0 with a strike from Asror Gafurov, two minutes into the second half before Swadhinata reduced the margin and Nodirbek Mavlonov then scored from a free-kick in the 49th minute.
Swadhinata created a couple of opportunities but failed to cash in before Saif extended the margin as Emeka ran down the middle and finished coolly in the 70th minute. He finally completed his league's third hattrick after heading a Faisal Ahmed cross home in the 79th minute.
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