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Abahani off the mark

SpoRTS REpoRTER
Abahani all but guaranteed a semifinal berth in the Fourth Nitol-Tata National Football League with a solitary goal win over Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra in yesterday's final-phase opener at the Sher-e-Bangla Mirpur National Stadium.
Stand-in captain Arif Khan Joy scored the winner halfway through the first half as Abahani secured top spot in the six-team table with seven points, thanks to the four bonus points they carried from the previous phase.
Premier League runners-up Sheikh Russel, who failed to produce last season's magic on a rain-soaked slow pitch, remained stuck on one point and now face an uphill task to finish among the top four.
It was Abahani's first ever win against National League newcomers Russel, who drew 1-1 and won 1-0 against the Dhaka giants on their premiership debut.
Russel, however, threatened to score early when Moroccan forward Younnes let fly a powerful drive from the edge of the penalty box after 14 minutes. But Abahani keeper Nizam
not only passed the test he also used his reflexes to foil a close-range header by Milon the very next minute after Russel rightback Kamal sent a fine cross from the right.
Chasing their first silverware in three seasons, Abahani came back strongly but Cameroon's Ndem fired the ball over the crossbar after meeting a cross by Khokon near the penalty spot.
Abahani's top scorer Khokon once again split the rival defence to set up Ujjal inside the box but inspired defending by Moroccan central defender Burdeep denied the young Abahani striker a shot on the goal.
Abahani earned two corners inside two minutes and the pressure finally told when man-of-the-match Joy, completely unmarked in the six-yard box, slotted a right-side flag-kick by Parvez into the roof of the net with a glancing header in the 23rd minute.
Russel should have equalised on the stroke of the first half but stopper Narayan's low drive after a corner was brilliantly blocked by Abahani fullback Siraji on the line.
After the break defenders dominated the show as pitch conditions deteriorated due to rain. Abahani got better openings but Burdeep's out-
standing performance at the rear kept Ujjal and Khokon at bay.
Ujjal still came close to widen the margin when Ndem set him free but the youngster's 69th minute effort was saved by custodian Biplab who rushed out of his line to keep the shot out for a corner.
Earlier, State Minister for Youth and Sports Fazlur Rahman declared the super six stage open but the start of the Dhaka-leg drew a very smallish crowd after larger attendances in the previous legs.
A minute's silence was observed before the start in memory of the victims of last week's grenade attack on an Awami League meeting while Abahani wore black badges.
Yellow cards: Rezaul, Mintu, Asad (Russel KC)
TEAMS
ABAHANI: Nizam, Hassan, Siraji, Shawkat, Masud Rana, Ujjal, Joy, Pranotosh, Parvez (Wali, 78th minute), Khokon and Ndem.
RUSSEL KC: Biplab, Narayan, Burdeep, Rezaul, Kamal (Bulbul, 55th), Asad, Nurul Islam, Apu (Asif, 32nd), Mintu, Younnes and Milon.
Referee: Ramkrishna Ghosh.