Dhaka win Abahani derby 

Dhaka Abahani clinched the Abahani derby beating Chattogram 3-2 in the 17th round of matches in the Bangladesh Premier League football at the Shaheed Dinrendranath Datta Stadium in Comilla.

The Dhaka club kept their title bid alive and are hot on Bashundhara Kings’ trail in their quest for the championship.

Mario Lemos’ men bagged all six points in Comilla, and are on 38 points, six points behind league leaders Kings, who have 44.

Dhaka Abahani striker Dorielton Gomes scored a brace, and left-back Nurul Naim Faisal netted a rare goal to edge Chattogram, down to 10 men after midfielder Augustine Agbane saw a red card in the 57th minute.

Chattogram Abahani’s attacking midfielder Omid Popalzay opened the scoring in the 32nd minute when he scored from a free-kick from the left of the box.

Popalzay curled it in, and goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel’s underwhelming effort saw the ball go through his prodded fists.

Their celebrations, however, were short-lived as Dhaka Abahani responded within two minutes to level the score.

Talisman Daniel Colindres made room for himself and swooped a cross in with his left foot, and it was headed in by Brazilian striker Dorielton from five yards.

Chattogram Abahani came back strongly and took the lead again in the 40th minute. Agabane was brought down by Dhaka Abahani defender Mehedi Hasan Royal as the referee pointed towards the spot. The penalty was successfully converted by the BPL’s leading scorer Peter Ebimobowei, who netted his 18th.

Dhaka Abahani picked up the momentum in the second half, and Agbane’s sending-off in the 57th minute helped their cause though it took them a while to capitalise on their advantage.

In the 71st minute, Dorielton scored his second after Colindres whipped it in from the corner, and he went leaps and bounds above everyone else to head it home, levelling the score at 2-2.

The third goal came from Faisal in the 78th minute in the most unlikely way. The left-back drilled a cross from the left but it was deflected by the head of Shakhawath Hossain, and the ball ghastly crept into the far-post,
evading the outstretched gloves of the keeper.