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Abahani extend lead

Sports Reporter
Abahani warmed up for next week’s mega clash against archrivals Mohammedan when the defending B. League champions crushed Arambagh 4 -■ 0 yesterday.
Abahani led the Dhaka derby 1-0 at the break through Pranotosh Das's rare goal but the Sky Blues showed their real strength and cutting edge after resumption with Shahajuddin Tipu, Emeka Christian and Ibnul Siraji adding the rest at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Amalesh Sen's league leaders, after 11 wins in 15 outings, stretched their collection to 35 points to stay five points ahead of nearest con tenders Sheikh Russel and seven clear of Mohammedan.
Russel and Mohammedan, who have played 14 and 13 games respectively so far, meet tomorrow in B. League's one of fire most crucial matches.
Ghanaian forward Awudu Ibrahim, who had scored Abahani's both goals in a 2-0 victory
against Arambagh in the first leg, was in tremendous form and unsettled the 5-man rival backline with his dashing runs at both flanks.
The Ghanaian, who was supposed to leave Dhaka after this match for personal reasons but assured the club of his availability in the remaining games, was behind most of the Sky-Blues raids but nothing looked right for his teammates.
Emeka took a very weak shot from handshaking distance that troubled Arambagh shot-stopper Piru little during a 14th minute comer and six minutes later, Emeka placed the ball past the lone keeper as well as the far post after Emily helped on the ball from Siraji's cross to the unmarked Nigerian.
Abul then forced a fine diving save by Piru as Abahani won six corners inside the half hour . without any avail.
The pressure, however, told in the 32nd minute when Ibrahim picked up Zahed with a low cross from the left The midfielder tapped the ball straight to Piru but a lurking Pranotosh nodded the rebound in for his first goal of this year's competition.
Ibrahim provided another couple of
SEE PAGE 18 COL 2
FROM PAGE 17 chances in the last five minutes but Emily, who was taken off at the break, shot just wide under pressure from the defenders while Emeka again found the safe hands of Piru.
The Sky-Blues began lively after the break but Emeka and Zahed fluffed three opportunities before Arambagh paid for coming out of their defensive shell for the first time.
Arambagh, who have little chance to finish among the top eight for a place in this year's Super Cup after remaining on 11 points, failed to test Biplab at the Abahani goal for once but their first penetration inside the rival zone sparked a counter attack.
Ibrahim raced from their own half and squared the ball to Zahed, who tapped it behind the defence line for a speeding substitute Tipu to toe-poke past Piru to double the lead in the 70th minute.
Arambagh visibly gave up after the second goal and two
minutes, later, Emeka finally kept a sublime shot on target, swerving in a low drive into Piru's left hand post from the top of the area. It was Emeka's 12th goal, the same number the second highest scorer of the ongoing competition had scored in the inaugural B. League for Mohammedan.
There was more and Siraji sealed the victory in the 77th minute. The Abahani rightback overlapped from the middle of the pitch and fired into the top far corner from a very tight angle to stun substitute keeper Mitul, who had yet to touch the ball.
TEAMS
ABAHANI: Biplab, Siraji, Nazrul, Sujan, Waly, Zahed, Pranotosh, Emeka, Abul (Sony), Emily (Tipu) and Ibrahim (Obaidur).
ARAMBAGH: Piru (Mitul), Tutul, Nadir, Akram, Kaba, Moudud (Turjo), Moloy, Nayan, Imrul, Surat, and Tabith (Parvez).
Referee: Monsur Azad.