Ali Thameem
Last season’s runner-ups and third-place finishers have run into a 2-2 draw in last night’s game of the Dhivehi Premier League.
Although New Radiant managed to extend their unbeaten run, dropping points with this draw meant they will end the game week behind Club Eagles and Victory.
In a tightly fought first-half, both New Radiant and Odi had found chances to break the deadlock. Odi’s Ahuzam Rasheed’s strike from the D-area had hit the corner of the crossbar. On the opposite end, Odi goalkeeper Mohamed Ashwaan made a point-blank save of a shot from Dorielton Gomes.
First-half ended nil-nil, with Odi appealing for a penalty kick after Ahmed Aiham’s cross from the right had been blocked by the outstretched arm of Mohamed Naaim.
Odi broke open New’s goal in the 28th second of the 2nd half. Building up the attack right after New Radiant kicked off the half, Muzdhaan Hassan drove a through ball for Ahuzam Rasheed to pick up from the left, and fire in from an acute angle.
Within seconds after falling behind, New Radiant equalized from a Dorielton header, assisted by an early cross from Mohamed Naaim.
Odi reclaimed the lead in the 57th minute. Following a one-two with Ahuzam, Odi’s right winger Ahmed Aiham crossed in for Muzdhaan Hassan, who slid in at the near post to tap the ball into the net.
Mohamed Naaim was the one to deliver the equalizing assist once again, in an 88th-minute corner kick. The cross was headed in by center-back Amdhaan Ali, who came on as a second-half substitute.
