Mohammedan tame Usha to move closer to hockey title

League leaders Mohammedan moved closer to reclaiming the Green Delta Premier Division Hockey League title with a hard-fought 6-5 victory over Usha Krira Chakra in the penultimate Super Six phase match in Dhaka on Tuesday.

Malaysian forward Faizal Bin Sarri once again led from the front, scoring a hat-trick to help the Black and Whites secure a vital victory over the Old-Dhaka team, following their first setback at the hands of Dhaka Mariner Youngs Club in their previous match.

Mohammedan dominated the match from the start at Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium, taking a 3-0 lead before Usha showed their battling spirit once more, scoring four goals in the third and fourth quarter. However, Mohammedan eventually edged past Usha, courtesy of Sarri's hattrick.

The win leaves Mohammedan on top of the table with 35 points from 14 matches, one more than archrivals Abahani and four ahead of third-placed Mariners, who played one fewer match than Mohammedan but have a solid chance to defend their crown with two relatively easy matches remaining.

The Motijheel-based team now needs a victory over Abahani in the league's final match on Friday to reclaim the prestigious title, whereas a draw will do if Mariners slip up, while Abahani also has a decent chance of bagging the crown by securing all three points against Mohammedan.