Dhaka, July 27 (bdnews24.com) – Dhaka Abahani Friday won the first-ever professional football league in Bangladesh styled B. League with a match to spare after they blanked Sheikh Russel KC 2-0 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium.
Zahid Hossain Ameli and Ghanaian Awudu Ibrahim struck on each half to land the first title in six years for the sky-blues.
Abahani's last silverware came in 2001 when they emerged champions in the premier football league, the earlier version of the pre-professional football league, in 2001.
Some 7,000 holiday crowd burst into raucous applause when referee Mansoor Azad blew the final whistle and the Abahani players carrying their team flags waved at the spectators.
Thursday's draw between title aspirants Dhaka Mohammedan SC and Khulna Abahani made things easy for Dhaka Abahani who needed only two points from their remaining two outings.
The 13th victory in 19 matches helped Abahani to take an unassailable lead at the top of the 11-team table with 44 points, five ahead of second-placed Dhaka Mohammedan who have only a match against Arambagh on August 1.
Abahani play their last match against Muktijoddha Sangsad on July 30.
On the rain-soaked pitch, Abahani dominated the depleted Sheikh Russel, who lost three key Moroccan players to injuries and booking in the previous match.
Abahani had seven shots at the opponents' goal and found the net twice while Sheikh Russel's three shots were blocked by Abahani goalie and defenders.
Abahani came close to break the deadlock in the 32nd minute, but Ameli saw his well-judge head narrowly miss the far post.
Ameli, however, had the last laugh in the injury time of the first half as the young striker headed a Jahangir Alam Minute cross from the left home.
His attacking pair Ibrahim, set by Abul Hossain, doubled the margin with a left-footer inside the box, giving goalkeeper Ziaur Rahman no chance four minutes into the second half.
Sheikh Russel came close to reduce the margin twice, but Maksudul Alam Bulbul saw his powerful shots foiled by Abahani goalie Biplob Bhattarjee in the 53rd minute.
Then, Moroccan striker Noureddine Zaim floated the ball over Abahani post with just the Abahani goalkeeper to beat in the 60th minute.
"We deserved the title for the way we played from the beginning (of the league) and I am very pleased to lead the side to the first-ever professional football league," Abahani captain Arif Khan Joy told reporters soon after the match.
"It would have been fine if we had Argentine coach Andres Cruciani throughout the league, but we want to thank him for his intensive training during the first-leg matches," said Joy.
He said he was yet to make a decision on retirement.
"The players were a bit demoralised after the first-leg as the team could not get expected results, but they finally proved their worth and it was a collective effort from the players, coaches, club officials and supporters," said Abahani football manager Satyajit Das Rupu.
"I'm very pleased that Abahani clinched the first-ever B. League title under my guidance after it emerged champions in the first-ever National Football League championship also under my guidance," said Abahani coach Amolesh Sen, who took the charge after Cruciani had quit before the second-leg matches.
bdnews24.com/ar/bd/1821 hours
