The two sides produced entertaining football on the New Year's Day at the Bangabandhu National Stadium but Abahani, despite enjoying superior ball possession, were unfortunate not to maintain their all-win run in the Super Six.

Brothers went ahead through Siraji on the stroke of halftime but their lead was short lived as Farhad equalised for the sky-blues 50 seconds after the break. It was Brothers' turn to sweat next as they fell behind after a clinical finish by Abahani's substitute midfielder Parvez. The men in Orange did it in the 72nd minute with Nigerian striker Paul Nwakwuchu converting a penalty.

Abahani, who carried four bonus points from the first stage, led the six-team table with 11 points while Brothers secured the second place with nine. Mohammedan, Muktijoddha and Bangladesh Army are still in the race to join the two in the semis.

In spite of their places guaranteed in the last four before yesterday's clash, the two title aspirants fielded full strength squads and the defending champions rushed early blood.

The Gopibagh outfit could have gone ahead after four minutes but Emily, the young national striker who scored two outstanding goals in the recently concluded SAFF Championship in Pakistan, failed to reach a defence splitting through by Siraji near the Abahani goal.

Abahani hit back in the next minute with Farhad chipping a left-flank cross but Tipu's header from handshaking distance went out. Halfway through the first half, Farhad and Tipu threatened to score but Brothers custodian Mohammed Ali handled the ball outside his area to rescue his side.

Abahani could not utilise the freekick in the danger zone but their rivals used a setpiece in the 42nd minute to take a first-half lead. It was veteran Masud Rana who floated a freekick from mid-pitch that caught the Abahani backline napping and an onrushing Siraji flicked the ball past an advancing goalkeeper Nizam for his second goal in as many matches. The former Abahani rightback was Brothers' hero in the previous round, having scored the match winner against Muktijoddha as a substitute.

Just after the match resumed, Brothers defenders found themselves helpless as national striker Farhad, chasing a cross by Obaidur from the right, spectacularly placed an overhead shot to beat Ali and level the score.

Farhad, who scored twice in Abahani's 6-1 rout of Samabesh Club in the previous round, forced a fine save by Ali in the 64th minute but the shaven-headed forward's defence splitting run down the right set up winger Parvez to drill a low drive into the near post in the very next minute.

Brothers soon returned to contention when Paul calmly placed a spotkick into Nizam's right hand post after Abahani fullback Obaidur had tripped his Brothers counterpart Parvez Babu inside the box.

Another slip by Obaidur allowed Abul almost a free run but Abahani's Cameroonian centre-back Marshall's inspired defending defied the Bangladesh international a shot at Nizam's goal.

The sky-blues, who possess arguably the most formidable midfield after Joy and Ujjal's return from national duties, created ample scoring chances afterwards. But Ndem was kept at bay by the defensive wall and Ali before Brothers skipper Sujan's superb tackle stopped substitute Anwar from shooting into an open net in the dying moments.

Yellow cards: Obaidur, Marshall (Abahani)

TEAMS
ABAHANI: Nizam, Obaidur, Marshall, Pradeep, Lajuk, Joy, Egir, Ndem, Ujjal (Zahid), Farhad (Anwar) and Tipu (Parvez).

BROTHERS: Ali, Siraji, Sujan, Shuvra (Montu), Masud Rana, Parvez Babu, Hicham, Pranotosh (Gilsun), Abul, Emily (Liton) and Paul.

Referee: Azad Rahman.