Moroccan midfielder Saad Abdul Fetah was inspirational behind all the goals, for fellow countryman Touati Younes and substitutes Kaiser and Nayan, as Russel reached within one point of Muktijoddha to brighten their chances to finish among the top three in the inaugural professional football league.

Struggling giants Muktijoddha had Abu Yusuf at the bench but the coach was a showpiece with team non-technical officials taking over.

Yusuf had a row with senior players -- ignored by the coach due to lack of fitness -- who had arguments with him a couple of days ago and reportedly humiliated the ex-national player.

With the club officials taking sides with players, Yusuf decided not to continue with Muktijoddha further.

“I have cut ties with this team. The officials requested me to stay at the bench in Muktijoddha's last two matches and that is why I am here,” Yusuf told after the match.

Muktijoddha, who remained on 33 points after their fourth defeat and second to Russel this season following a 2-1 loss in the first leg, have one match to go against current leaders Abahani in the final round.

Russel, on the other hand, reached 32 points from 18 outings. Wajed Gazi's boys have a six-point deficit with Abahani and need to win their remaining two matches to go atop the table, provided the leaders and second-placed Mohammedan lose all their games.

Muktijoddha had Arman in the starting line-up after being sidelined by Yusuf throughout the second leg and the veteran midfielder hardly made any difference.

Russel took early control with Younes threatening to score after ten minutes but the striker's first-time volley on Bulbul's centre went just wide.

Fetah, who had a very good match, twice tested rival keeper Titumir with long-range freekicks while Muktijoddha's only chance before the break was provided by Alfaz but his chip from right was headed wide by Kanchan under pressure from a Russel defender.

Titumir pulled off a fine save five minutes after resumption when the Muktijoddha keeper came out of his line to palm away Bulbul's powerful drive outside from the box.

An otherwise dull Brahim then created the best chance for the Reds when he released a low drive from 40 yards on the hour. The ball took a wicked drop to unsettle Russel shotstopper Zia who lost it but a lurking Kanchan failed to keep his shot on the rebound under the bar from ten yards.

Fetah wasted a chance ten minutes later but he initiated a move for Younes's seventh league goal in the 74th minute. Bulbul, who got possession after the Moroccan's hard work at left, cut the ball back to Younes, who got enough time on the edge of the area to adjust to an awkward bounce and put a sublime right-footed drop-volley into the left hand post of Titumir, flat-footing four rival backs inside the box.

Titumir did well to block another Younes effort while the Muktijoddha attackers hopelessly saw a series of shots during a melee failing to beat a forest of rival legs as the match entered the last five minutes.

Fetah then released Kaiser in the 90th minute with a brilliant diagonal pass to help Russel put the result beyond any doubt. Titumir left his post but the diving goalie lost the ball under pressure from Kaiser, who made no mistake to sidefoot into an open goal.

Russel added more salt to the Reds' wounds in the second minute of the stoppage time when Younes, getting the ball from Fetah, squared the ball from the right. Hassan Al Mamun fumbled on a regular clearance, giving an unmarked Nayan all the time to drill home to seal the victory.