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Last laugh Abahani’s

Al Musabbir Sadi
"i Abahani shrugged off a shaky start to nip archrivals Mohammedan 2-1 yesterday in a come-from-behind win that put ■ i them on track to
retain the B. League title.
Mohammedan looked like taking full three points from the crucial B. League match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium after Alamu Bukola's 45th minute goal but Zahid Hasan Emily staged a dramatic comeback for the defending champions with a 67th minute equaliser before setting up Emeka Christian's lastgaspwinner.
Abahani opened up a nine-point lead over Mohammedan, who have played a match less but virtually have no chance to recover, and went four clear of second -placed Russel to consolidate their position atop the 11 - team fray.
About 10,000 fans enjoyed the thriller
but the crowd would have been bigger in the clash of heavyweights had not Mohammedan played some strange tricks before the game.
Even at 2 pm, the tickets were not on sale for the scheduled 4.30 pm start as Mohammedan refused to play the match on ground of league committee's rejection of their demands.
Mohammedan had been demanding the punishment of Sheikh Russel officials for intervening the ground during the two
sides' match on last Tuesday. They also wanted the league committee to award them full points in that match, which ended 1-1, on argument of biased refereeing.
The league committee on Friday night banned a Russel official and warned their coach apart from suspending the match commissioner but it found no logic to
SEE PAGE 18 COL 1
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forfeit the result of the Russel-Mohammedan match.
The BFF officials tried to bring them back to the ground but after the daylong antics, Mohammedan agreed to play around 3 pm, only after Bangladesh Football Federation president Kazi Salahuddin's phone call to Mohammedan president Mosaddek Hossain.
The match started at 5 pm with heavy fog creeping onto the pitch and Mohammedan should have done better than scoring just one goal in the first half after enjoying superior ball possession.
Abahani, though, rushed early blood but Abul's header during a comer and Mamun's low drive from 20 yards hardly gave Aminul any trouble at the Black and Whites goal.
Amaiesh Sen's Abahani, in absence of Ghanaian playmaker Ibrahim, fielded an experimental side with two holding midfielders and captain Nazrul as rigthback. And the Sky-Blues were under constant threat after ten minutes as their rivals began to take control of the midfield.
Mohammedan pressed hard but Ripon nodded a corner by Egyptian midfielder Hazem Mahmud just wide. Arman Aziz then forced a superb save by Abahani
keeper Biplab from a freekick before Nigerian striker Bukola was denied from a one-on-one situation by Sujan's inspired tackling inside the Abahani area.
The pressure told on the stroke of halftime when Ripon's long throw-in flew into the Abahani box. A mix-up between Joy and outrushing Biplab saw the ball loop to an unmarked Bukola who nodded into the far post to separate the two sides with his 12th goal.
It could have been 1-1 within minutes when Aminul smothered on a cracking sidevolley by Abahani medio Pranotosh but the spectacular save in the stoppage time kept Maruful Haque's men ahead at the break.
Abahani came out after resumption without Nazrul, who had to be benched due to a bleeding nose following an earlier clash with Ripon, and his replacement Obaidur showed more attacking spree.
Pranotosh got behind the rival backline in the 54th minute with a through from Emeka but failed to keep his shot under the bar from ten yards while Mohammedan fluffed a golden chance to seal the match on the hour.
It was Korean import Oh Ddogyi, the midfielder who created three opportunities
for the strikers without avail, who squandered the easiest chance. He had only Biplab to beat when the ball ran to him after a defence lapse but Ddogyi's feeble effort inside from the box rolled harmlessly to Biplab.
Abahani equalised midway through the second half after Emeka picked up Mamun from the middle during a counter attack. Mamun, the outstanding Sky-Blues winger, lobbed an inch-perfect cross from the right for Emily to put a glancing header into Aminul'sfar post.
The Mohammedan backline was one man down at that time as Kamal, who had minutes ago stopped Emeka from pouncing an Emily pass in the danger zone, was being nursed for an injury.
Mohammedan, who seemingly looked satisfied with a slim lead, paced up the game again but Komol, set free by Ddogyi, failed to test Biplab from ten yards in the 81st minute.
The match became even livelier in the last five minutes with both sides producing great chances. But Bukola, who got inside the Abahani area on his own, let Biplab snatch the ball from his feet.
It was all Abahani in the dying minutes but Mamun's diving header on a low centre
by substitute Zahed came off the crossbar in the 88th minute.
A minute later, it was all over when Emily raced past Saikat at the right flank. The national striker fired a left footer from close but Aminul made a one-handed save but Emeka's bicycle shot on the rebound went into the bottom left corner. Both Emeka and Emily now have 12 goals for Abahani.
The jubilation began immediately in and off the field, just similar to the 2-2 draw between the local heavyweights exactly two months ago, but in different colours. It were Mohammedan who were celebrating that day after Hcdayetullah Robin's stoppage time equaliser but the side heavily missed the injured striker.
Yellow cards: Sujan, Emily (Abahani) and Komol, Ddogyi (Mohammedan)
TEAMS
ABAHANI: Biplab, Nazrul (Obaidur, 46), Sujan, Samad, Waly, Abul (Tipu and Zahed, 68 and 84), Joy, Pranotosh, Mamun, Emeka and Emily. MOHAMMEDAN: Aminul, Jewel (Kamal, 25), Rajani, Saikat, Ripon (Sharif, 85), Nasir, Arman Aziz, Hazem, Komol, Ddogyi and Bukola). Referee: Abdul Hannan.