Dhaka, June 4: Table toppers Dhaka Abahani was held to a 1-1 draw by Sheikh Russell in the Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League at the Bangabandhu National Stadium on Monday.  

In the first phase match Abahani won by 1-0 margin.  

Sheikh Russell had the liveliest of the start as midfielder Emon Babu put his team ahead in the 2nd minute. Emon sent a long ball to Alamu Bukola Olalekan and ran down the midfield, Bukola sent a neat cross to Emon Babu who placed the ball in the middle of the net from the top of the six yard box (1-0). 

Midfielder Jahid Hossain let Abahani down in the 5th minute as he hit the side post from the penalty earned by Abahani when Brazilian forward Da Silva was fouled by Ghanaian defender Abbas Inusah in the middle of box. Jahid sent Russell goalie Biplob the wrong way but failed. 

However Abahani leveled the scoreline in the 16th minute as Towhidul Alam cut a low cross from the left flank and Da Silva headed the ball past Biplob in the near post (1-1)

Five minutes after the break Abahani’s Ghanaian playmaker Awudu Ibrahim saw his shot fisted by Biplob for a corner. 

In the 70th minute Russell’s Cameroonian midfielder Frank Olivier hit the Abahani cross piece form 25 yards out. 

Rsussell’s substitute forward Yusuf fed by Olivier in the 86th minute cut an angular shot from the edge of the box but Abahani’s Ghanaian goalie Al Hasan punched the ball for a corner. 

Abahani remained at the top of the table with 37 points from 16 matches while Russell earned 25 from 16 matches.