Two-goal Zahid Hasan Emily inspired Abahani to their second consecutive come-from-behind win in a five-goal thriller yesterday and retain pole position in the B. League.

The inform striker, who returned among goals with a hattrick against Rahmatganj two weeks earlier, made a couple of clinical finishes as Abahani came from 2-1 down to edge Farashganj 3-2 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.

Emily also scored the equaliser in Abahani's last match, which they won 2-1 also coming from behind.

Robin and Arup found the net for the riversiders while Emily opened the scoring early and also struck the second-half match winner for Abahani after centre-back Nazrul had cancelled Farashganj's lead

from a penalty to make it 2-2 at the break.

Under overcast conditions, the sky-blues who climbed to 32 points after their ninth victory, took just four minutes to go ahead when Emily dodged past rival defender Mamun Mia with a diagonal ball from leftback Wali and placed an angled shot in off the base of the far post.

Rain intervened seconds later and Abahani, playing in their away strip of yellow, were caught napping as Robin broke an offside trap to equalise in the eighth minute.

The young forward, who picked up a long ball at the left side, went round an onrushing goalkeeper Biplab on the edge of the area and coolly placed the ball into the back of the net through two Abahani defenders who tried in vain to stop Robin's seventh league goal.

Five minutes later, skipper Joy's half-hearted clearance during a freekick landed straight to Arup and the Farashganj midfielder, who was 30 yards out of goal, hammered a sublime right footer into the top right corner of Biplab.

Farashganj, who lost their first leg match 3-1, took control with strings of lively passes but the domination fizzled out after a five-minute stint of heavy shower midway through the first half.

With the skies clearing, Amalesh Sen's league leaders mounted heavy pressure in search of an equaliser but Joy nodded the ball just wide and Emily's header was saved by Khaled from the line.

Ibrahim finally threw a lifeline to Abahani when the Ghanaian Torwara won a penalty in me o/tn minute following a clumsy challenged by Nigerian centre-back Amadou.

Nazrul made no mistake to send goalkeeper Mamun Khan the wrong way and send a powerful strike into the left corner for his second league goal.

Abahani took little time to regain lead as Emily showed signs of returning to his best during his ninth goal in the run with an intelligent run in the49th minute.

As opposition custodian Mamun and captain Faisal waited for each other to intercept a through pass by Abul inside the box, the Abahani No. 10 noticed the chance, raced from behind to take the ball away from both before cutting the ball back into the net from a tight angle.

For the next 20 minutes, Abahani laid relentless assaults on the rival goal but failed to increase the mar-

gin on a water-soaked heavy pitch. Ibrahim screwed his chance over the barfrom seven yards and forced a fine save by the keeper while

Parvez and Joy both shot into the side netting.

The Dhaka giants, however, ran out of gas in the last quarter and Mohammed All almost brought the riversiders level from the top of the box only to be denied by Biplab's reflex.

Tipu came close to score in the dying minutes but the Abahani sub saw his low drive from an acute angle miss the far post for inches.

Yellow cards: Mikel, Pradip (Abahani) and Amadou (Farashganj)

TEAMS

ABAHANI: Biplab, Siraji, Pradip, Nazrul, Wali, Mikel (Parvez), Joy, Abul, Ujjal (Pranotosh), Ibrahim and Emily (Tipu).

FARASHGANJ: Mamun, Liton, Mamun Mia, Faisal, Amadou, Khaled (Murad), Amirul, Arup (Rajib), All, Rony and Robin (Kutub). Referee: Ramkrishna Ghosh.

TOP SCORERS

14 goals: Junior (Brothers)

13 goals: Paul (Mohammedan)

9 goals: Emily (Abahani)

8 goals: Emeka (Mohammedan)

7 goals: Robin (Farashganj)

6 goals: Alfaz (Muktijoddha), Nicodemus (Arambagh), Abraham (Ctg Abahani), Younes (Russel)

5 goals: Moni (Muktijoddha), Khokon (Ctg Abahani)

4 goals: Prashanta (Khulna Abahani), Ighir (Russel), Abul (Abahani)

3 goals: Mamun, Pikul (Khulna Abahani), Ibrahim (Abahani), Brahim (Muktijoddha), Apu (Rahmatganj), Biketi, Iddi (Arambagh), Asif (Ctg Mohammedan), Francis (Rahmatganj)