CityCell B-League title- Abahani move closer to title

Abahani move closer to title:

Dhaka Abahani Limited successfully cross another hurdle on their way to retain the CityCell B-League title thrashing Brothers Union by 3-0 on Monday at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.Abahani by virtue of this win opened up a nine points lead from their nearest rivals Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra and Dhaka Mohammedan who were jointly placed in second position with 35 points.

Defending champions Abahani now just needed a point from their remaining two matches against Russel KC and Rahmatganj to confirm their championship.Abahani's Nigerian recruit Emeka struck once in each session and Abul Hossain added the other one for the Dhanmondi outfit to further consolidate their position in the table. They brought their tally to 44 points from 18 matches. Their closest rivals Dhaka Mohammedan and Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra were still dreaming to make challenge obtaining 35 points each from 17 matches.

It was also a sweet revenge for the Abahani as they suffered a 0-2 defeat at the hands of Brothers just a month back (on December 2) in the first phase of the league. Both the Abahani and Brothers were onset with attacking strategy and it looked that the later could have gone to make it double against the champions . But Abahani took 15 minutes to shatter their ambition snatching the control of the match.

The combination of Emeka Christian and Awudu Ibrahim demolished all the Brothers tactics to establish their supremacy for maximum time of the 90 minutes game. On the other hand Brothers created a half chance in the first half and produced some pressure at the last stage. Emeka was first to make the initial threat in the 15th minute breaking the blunt defence of Brothers with a powerful shot after receiving an Abul through pass.Brothers, who had only the remarkable occasion and also the opportunity to take the advantage, which could have made the scenario of the game different but an Arup minus off a Zahid cross was saved by Samad Yusuf at the cost of corner in the 28th.

Brothers' custodian Zia, who left the ground with stretcher later on with a severe injury on his head, saved a certain effort of Emeka when the coloured hair Nigerian took a superb header on an Ibrahim cross in the 31st minute.

Emeka put Abahani into lead in the 35th minute when he was very quick to rush inside the penalty area to take a spectacular header on a Waly Faisal to send the ball top corner of the net (1-0). Abahani continuing their pressure and doubled the margin just in the stoppage time before the break. This time Abul beat Zia with a powerful right footer from the top of the box having a pass from Ibrahim (2-0).It was expected that Brothers would bounce back in the second half, but the Gopibagh outfit disappointed with their approach, as they were in back foot to restrain Abahani's attacks and concede another goal in the 86th minute.

Emeka scored his 14th goal in the league to join with Alfaz Ahmed as the top scorer with a tremendous solo effort when he ran past two defenders and the goalkeeper after receiving a ball from Mamun (3-0).Amolesh Sen, Abahani's coach in his post match reaction said, "We are now achieved 99 per cent success and one percent remaining to celebrate."About their defeat at the hands of Rahmatganj MFS in the league opener, the veteran coach said, "It was a good lesson for us, which made us very cautious for rest of the matches.

"Today's (03.02.09) matchMuktijoddha vs Rahmatganj MFS (4:30pm, BNS).