Abahani stays happy with one point

The sky blue Dhaka Abahani had to share points with the Maldives Dhivehi Premier League runner-up Maziya Sports and Recreation Club in the home match of AFC Cup preliminary qualifiers round-2 following a 2-2 draw on Wednesday at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka.
The champion of 2017-18 Bangladesh Premier League was hoping to collect full three points from the match riding on the advantage of home ground. Abahani's Portuguese coach Mario Lemos said before the match that his boys were ready to give their best to win the match.
The home side started the match with a 4-3-3 formation put several attacks from the beginning. But without proper finishing, those attacks were fruitless and as a matter of fact the boys conceded one goal instead.
Maziya SRC midfielder Ibrahim Waheed Hassan hit the net with a lob in the 42nd minute of the match.
But the sky blues succeeded to level the margin in the first half. Brazilian defender Mailson took over a cross of fellow Raihan and fired the post in the injury time of the first half.
30-year old midfielder Cornelius Ezekiel Stewart of Maziya helped the team go ahead in the 65-minute scoring the team's second goal.
Fortunately, Abahani's Nigerian striker Sunday Chizoba Nwadialu managed to hold the opponent with an 80-minute goal. In reality, with the goal of Sunday, Dhaka Abahani escaped a defeat on Wednesday at home.
Now, the sky blue outfits will have to do well against the same opponents in their away match on 12 February in the Maldives.