Abahani take sweet revenge against MSC

Abahani enjoyed the sweet taste of revenge as the Sky Blues redeemed their loss against Mohammedan earlier in the Green Delta Insurance Premier Hockey League by handing the Black and Whites a 3-2 defeat in a crucial Super Five encounter at the Maulana Bhasani Hockey Stadium yesterday.

Though Mohammedan beat Abahani 2-1 in a first-leg match, the Motijheel-based outfit could not avert their first defeat in 13 fixtures, which forced them to share the lead with Abahani and Dhaka Mariner Young's Club on 36 points each.

However, Abahani have played a one match more than Mohammedan and Mariner Young's and will play their last game of the league against Mariners today.

“All we want is to win all four Super Five matches,” Abahani coach Harunur Rashid said. “The boys were determined to prove themselves after losing to Mohammedan and Mariner Young's.”

Abahani looked to be the better side right from the get-go, taking the lead in the very second minute with a tap-in from Malaysian Ahmed Tajuddin but Indian Gurjinder Singh levelled the margin with a brilliant reverse-hit in the ninth minute. Roman Sarker then restored Abahani's one-goal lead in the 20th minute.

Mohammedan bounced back again through another reverse-shot from Gurjinder in the 38th minute but a scuffle between the two sides soon followed and ruined the match's tempo. Roman finally struck the winner in the 61st minute.

“Abahani played better today but our players made a mistakes, allowing Abahani to take control. We now hope to winning the remaining two matches and ensure the title,” said Mohammedan coach Moududur Rahman Shuvo.