Abahani held 1-1 by Mohun Bagan

Dhaka, May 31: Dhaka Abahnai and Mohun Bagan shared points in a 1-1 draw in the last match of group E in the AFC Cup 2017 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Wednesday.

The match had an unusual stoppage as heavy downpour forced the players to leave the field just four minutes after the kick-off. The 44 minute long downpour saw the right and left flanks of the pitch waterlogged further delaying the restart. However, after an hour of unwanted delay the match finally resumed.

Abahani took the lead in the 9th minute with their Nigerian forward Emeka Darlington hitting the back of the net with a precise side volley. Defender Mamun Miah curved a cross from the right flank and Emeka, in a quick reaction, volleyed the ball past Mohun Bagan goalie Paul Shilton (1-0).

Abahani, in the very next minute was ruing a missed opportunity. Onrushing Emeka Darlington was brought down by defender Raju Eknath Gaikwad in the left corner of the box prompting the referee to award a penalty, Abahani’s English marksman Jonathan Edwards, however sent the ball wide of the sidepost much to the dismay of the sky-blue tent.

Mohun Bagan gradually gelled as a unit and started to invade the opposition territory. On the half hour mark forward Jeje Lalpekhula sneaked through the Abahani defence but saw his right footer parried away by diving Abahani goalie Shahidul Alam Sohel.

Emeka Darlington again created havoc in the 29th minute when he kept his cool to go past his marker but saw his right footer punched to safety by Shilton.

Mohun Bagan’s Scottish forward Daryl Duffy, keeping Abahani defence under pressure, came close to the equalizer but fell short by a few inches as his curved right footer from the top of the box flew past the crosspiece in the 43rd minute.

Mohun Bagan rode the luck again in the 54th minute with defender Bikramjit Singh arriving as the savior. An acrobatic Bikramjit Singh cleared a goalbound head of Emeka Darlington from the goal line with an aerial back volley.

Mohun Bagan came back into the game in the 82nd minute off a penalty with skipper Katsumi Yusa beating Sohel in the right hand post with a low right footer (1-1).

Mohun Bagan finished their AFC campaign with seven points and Abahani earned four points. Mohun Bagan finished third while Abahani came fourth in the four team group.

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