Abahani's slim hopes end

Abahani's slim hopes of an unlikely passage to the final round of the AFC Cup were extinguished after a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Maziya Sports and Recreation Club in Male yesterday.

The 2-0 defeat, an identical margin of defeat of their home leg fixture against the Maldivian giants, means Abahani collected only three points from five matches and remain firmly on the bottom of the group.

Having lost the first three matches in their continental campaign, Abahani rekindled hopes of staying in the race with a 2-0 win over table-toppers Bengaluru FC in Dhaka last month. But yesterday's defeat means Drago Mamic's charges are left with the academic formality of hosting Mohun Bagan in the group's last fixture on May 31.

The Bangladesh Premier League champions kept the hosts at bay in the first half at the Male National Stadium, but conceded the opening goal in the 59th minute when midfielder Mohamed Umair found the top corner of the net to the goalkeeper's right from a free-kick.

The hosts kept the charge on the visitors and wrapped up the victory, with Alexander Rakic finding the back of the net with a left-footed shot from inside the box.