Six times league champions Abahani Limited, Dhaka suffered their first defeat in the TVS Bangladesh Premier League football when they went down a 2-3 goal lose to Chittagong Abahani Limited on Tuesday (Mar 1) at the Sylhet District Stadium.
It was once again a stunning performance by Chittagong Abahani as they showed the same fighting attitude forcing Saif SC to split point in their previous match of the league.
Nigerian forward Peter Ebimobowei, South African striker William Twala and Afghan midfielder Omid Popalzay scored one goal each for Chittagong Abahani who led the first half by 2-1 goals. Costa Rican forward Daniel Colindres and Brazilian midfielder Raphael Augusto netted one goal apiece for Dhaka Abahani.
Daniel Colindres gave Dhaka Abahani a deserving lead in the 16th minute but the lead lasted for few minutes as Peter Ebimobowei restored the parity for Chittagong Abahani Limited in the 20th minute of the match.
William Twala put Chittagong Abahani ahead scoring the second goal in the 37th minute while after the breather Omid Popalzay further widened the margin scoring the third goal in the 64th minute of the match.
Raphael Augusto reduced the margin scoring the second goal for Abahani Limited in the 89th minute of the match.
The win saw the port city team Chittagong Abahani raised their tally to 12 points from six matches while the sky blue Dhanmondi outfit Dhaka Abahani remained at their previous credit of 13 points playing the same number of matches.
Abahani Limited, Dhaka will play their next match against Saif SC at the Sylhet District Stadium while Chittagong Abahani meet Lieutenant Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club at the Bir Flight Lieutenant Matiur Rahman Stadium in Munshiganj. Both the matches will be held on Sunday (Mar 6).
The sky blue outfit Abahani earlier made a winning start in the league beating Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra by 1-0 goal, but they lost valuable point playing to a 1-1 goal draw with Bangladesh Police Football Club in their second match of the league.
Abahani, however, back to the winning streak with 3-0 victory in their third match against Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society and went top of the table defeating Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra by 3-1 goals in their fourth match and edged past their arch-rival Mohammedan Sporting Club by a solitary goal in their fifth match.
While Chittagong Abahani earlier beat Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society by 2-1 in their league opening match, played out to a 1-1 draw with Sheikh Russel Krira Chakra in their second match and again shared points with Mohammedan playing out to a 1-1 draw in their third match and beat Swadhinata Krira Sangha by 2-1 goals in their fourth match and played out to a 3-3 draw with Saif Sporting Club in their fifth match.
Wednesday's matches
Bangladesh Police Football Club vs Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Krira Chakra at Muktijuddho Srity Stadium in Rajshahi at 3 p.m. and Rahmatganj Muslim Friends Society vs Uttar Baridhara Club at Sylhet District Stadium at 5.30 p.m.
