The last game of the seventh round will kick off at 5 pm at the Bangabandhu National Stadium and Abahani can kiss their title hopes goodbye if they fail to pick up full points against last year's sensational runners-up.

Russel, sixth in the ten-team table with two wins and two draws, virtually have no chance but the Sky Blues, who are just ahead with 11 points, can still threaten the other contenders with a victory.

Abahani, who finished third in the previous season, have 11 points with three victories and two draws. Another win will bring them within three points of leaders Mohamme-dan but without suspended Joy and Ibrahim, it would be difficult against a rejuvenated Russel.

Captain Joy, who does the job of holding the midfield together and Ghanaian striker Ibrahim, Abahani's top scorer with four goals, both received their third yellow cards to begin a one-match ban.

Abahani were desperate to register their third and final foreign recruit, Ghana's central defender Osie Neil, last night not only to make up for the absence of the two stalwarts but also to strengthen a suspect defence that has conceded at least one goal in each of their six matches. Provided Neil's international transfer clearance arrived in time, he will make his Dhaka debut today.

Striker Tipu and midfielder Parvez are the likely ones to get a first-team place for the struggling giants who have yet to beat Russel in a league match.

Russel, on the other hand, will look to maintain their return to form after a goalless draw against Muktijoddha Sangsad in the last round, a match they should have won had their Moroccan trio of Majid, Rachid and Egir not missed a handful of chances.