Muktijoddha Sangsad's Brazilian midfielder Sauza Lima (L) celebrates one of his three goals which drove them to a 4-1 victory over Abahani in their Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday. PHOTO: AMRAN HOSSAINSports Reporter

A brilliant hat-trick from Brazilian midfielder Sauza Lima helped title contenders Muktijoddha Sangsad KS join leaders Abahani with a comprehensive 4-1 win over Arambagh KS in their Grameenphone Bangladesh Premier League encounter at the Bangabandhu National Stadium yesterday.

It was the league's seventh hat-trick while Mamunul Islam netted the other that ensured Muktijoddha Sangad secured the full three points to join Abahani with 30 points each. Abahani though are still ahead by virtue of having played a game less.

With their eighth defeat in 14 matches, Arambagh KS lie second from bottom with 10 points and are in danger to be relegated with only six games left.

Muktijoddha Sangad grasped all opportunities with both hands in an effort to catch the league leaders after Mohammedan defeated Abahani.

From the start, Muktijoddha Sangsad looked more organized with their crisp passing and controlled the midfield against Arambagh who basically played a counter-attack based game.

Arambagh came close to an early lead in the 11th minute from a counter attack but goalkeeper Mashudur Rahman Mustaq rescued Muktijoddha Sangsad with a brilliant save when Eleta Kingsley availed a defensive lapse to dodge past three defenders before hammering a powerful shot from inside the box.

Afterwards, it was a one-side affair though Mutkijoddha had to wait for 45 minutes to take a lead after Nigerian Sunday Chizoba was denied by the woodwork in the 38th minute.

Lima, a 22-year old midfielder, finally brought the breakthrough from a 35-yard free-kick just before the breather with Arambagh goalkeeper Biplob Kumar Bishu getting no time to react to his snapshot.

After the resumption, Muktijoddha Sangsad stepped up the attacks most of which originated from the right flank with right-winger Nasir Chowdhury doing a lot of hard-work as the former army solder assisted in the remaining three goals.

Nasir ran down the right to put a through-pass for Lima, who drove a fierce angular shot outside the area past goalkeeper Bishu in the 59th minute before Arambagh briefly lit up the game pulling one goal back.

On 66 minutes, Khalid Ahmed whipped a well-judged cross from the right side for Cooper, who rose high to nod the cross home, indicating a fight-back but it was again Lima who completed his hattrick as well as took the match away from Arambagh in the 74th minute.

Midfielder Maruf Ahmed played Nasir on the right side and Nasir advanced to the right-side touch line before cutting it back for Lima who this time drove a grounder from outside the box past the goalkeeper and completed his hat-trick as well as raised his goal tally to five for the season.

Mamunul Islam hammered the last nail two minutes from time as the national midfielder, availing another pass from Nasir, found the back of Arambagh net with a dipping shot from 20 yards.