Mohun Bagan Super Giant 3-1 Machhindra FC Highlights: Anwar scores twice as MBSG wins in AFC Cup 2nd round prelims

Two goals from Anwar Ali and another by Jason Cummings was enough for Mohun Bagan Super Giant to beat Machhindra FC 3-1 and set up a clash against Dhaka Abahani in the next AFC Cup preliminary clash, which will also be played at the Salt Lake Stadium.

Juan Ferrando will be quite happy with the performance tonight, with the team maintaining possession and control throughout the game, barring a few moments where it lost the ball cheaply.

As the ball is cleared by Mohun Bagan, it tries an attack on the counter with Thapa getting the ball to Sadiku who tries a shot from distance, which does not trouble Bishal Shrestha at all.

Machhindra FC is trying to breach the Mohun Bagan defence but the Mariners have four men stationed at the back as Hamill heads a pass out for a MFC corner.

Another set-piece chance for Mohun Bagan, another goal by Anwar Ali. Petratos delivers a right-footed cross from a free-kick and Anwar heads it into the net to widen the lead and increase the margin for error, late in the second half.

Armando Sadiku, another new signing of Mohun Bagan Super Giant, who had started in the previous match, has come off the bench tonight as Ferrando hopes for a resilient finish in this riveting contest.

Last 10 minutesof regulation time for Mohun Bagan to hold on to the slender lead as the side from Nepal hopes to hold MBSG to a draw, forcing it into extra-time.

Olawale takes the free-kick with his left-foot, which beats the wall this time and also Kaith to kiss the net. Machhindra is looking to make a late comeback here.

Meanwhile, Machhindra gets a free-kick outside the penalty box which might be the perfect chance for the team to pull one goal back. Olawale takes the free-kick which hits the wall but since he had struck before the whistle, he take it again.

Machhindra tries an attack with a diagonal ball from the left flank to the right but Aayush Ghalan =gets caught in the off-side trap.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant has had two goal scorers today - Anwar Ali and Jason Cummings. Both the players scored their first goals for the club and that too, in an AFC competition. What a start for the players’ goal tally at the Kolkata-based club.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant doubles its lead with its Australian striker finding the net and the Mariners. Within the hour mark, the hosts are comfortably ahead as Ferrando instructs his team to continue its attack.

Subhasish starts Mohun Bagan’s play from the back, with Arik intercepting the ball before Sahal could get to it as Machhindra tries to find spaces to exploit the Mariners’ defence and find an equaliser.

Mohun Bagan continues to attack on the counter and three players are there to shoot. Cumming’s shot is first blocked by a defender, just like the one of Petratos seconds later. The ball then falls for Manvir, whose shot is saved by Bishal.

In: Manvir Singh, Dimitrios Petratos, Out: Asish Rai, Hugo Boumous

Slow build-up and a final shot on target -- the common pattern for Mohun Bagan so far in this game. Cummings pairs up with Boumous and then gets the ball to Asish Rai on the right flank, who shoots on target, forcing a save by Bishal and then a corner.

Sahal and Ashique, two boys from Kerala pair up to start an attack as the ball oscillates from the left to the right wings. Meanwhi.e Tshiring steals the bal off Thapa and tries a shot from distance which is off-target.

The former Kerala Blasters man tries to make amends with a shot seconds later which is saved by BIshal Shrestha, who makes a second save off Jason Cummings’ shot.

Mohun Bagan, on the other hand, tries a counter attack and Ashique is fouled by Nia. Sahal takes the free-kick - a right-footed curler which flies miles over the net. A disappointing kick from a position which had Hamill and Thapa waiting for a cross.

Machhindra FC tries to take the long ball approach buthe low through ball rolls comfortably into the gloves of Vishal Kaith.

The next 45 minutes begin just as the first half, with Mohun Bagan makig forward runs and the visitors keeping a compact defence to contain the damage.

Anwar Ali’s towering header is what separates the two sides, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Machhindra FC, at the break. It will be interseting to see if the visitors bounce back in the next half.

Olawale tries a shot for Machhindra - a right footed hit which ends up inthe side-netting but Vishal Kaith ahd his near post covered quite comfortably.

Mohun Bagan could have been many goals ahead by now but Bishal Shrestha’s heroics have kept the lead to a slender 1-0. That will be motivation enough for Machhindra to try and find an equaliser with an entire half left in the game.

Cummings gets the ball into the final third and passes it to Ashique on his left, whose shot ends in the side-netting.

Hugo Boumous drives in the corner kick for the Mariners and Anwar Ali heads the ball into the net to put Mohun Bagan Super Giant ahead in this AFC preliminary game.

Thapa shifts his position in the midfield and makes a run along the right to try and receive a through ball from Asish Rai but he concedes a throw-in. Seconds later, he tries a strike from outside the box, which flies off-target.

Mohun Bagan looks to catch Machhindra napping with an attack along the right flank. Asish tries to do an overlap with Boumous but the visitors are watchful enough as they intercept, with Boumous replying with a smile and shake of head.

Mohun Bagan goes for another attack with Boumous and Cummings combining from the midfield. The former threads in a pass for Cummings on his right and just before the Australian could launch a shot, Machhindra’s back-line makes a timely block.

Sahal gets a ball from the left as he runs into the Machhindra box and shoots on target. The goalkeeper somehow makes a save as the score remains 0-0 in this contest so far.

His long kick ends to Aayush Ghalan, who makes a run along the left flank but Asish Rai traces him to ensure that development is nippped in the bud.

Boumous delivers a long ball in the final third but the Machhindra goalkeeper is there to catch it and end the attack.

It has been more of a practice for Machhindra to defend the continuous attacks of Mohun Bagan. But as they say, defence wins you titles and the side from Nepal has denied a breakthrough to the hosts.

Devendra takes the free-kick forMachhindra but Vishal Kaith, the golden glove winner in the ISL last season, jumps to catch the ball comfortably.

Asish Rai makes a darting run along the right flank, beats his marker and then almost beats another defender, earning a throw-in for his side. Mohun Bagan has clearly looked the better side so far but the goals have not yet come, despite the chances by Ashique and Sahal.

Mohun Bagan starts the attack with a slow build-up and then Thapa passes the ball to Sahal on his right and trhe former KBFC player shoots in a pile-driver that forces a save by Machhindra FC.

Boumous takes the resulting corner, which is finally cleared by the white wall.

Macchhindra tries an attack with small triangular passes, with Tshirin Gurung and Devendra getting it into the final third. However, the final cross from the left has no receivers as MBSG tries to start a counter-attack.

Subhasish, Thapa and Hamill maintain possession and get it to Boumous, who marches forward. His cross for a waiting Cummings is intercepted and then Ashique tries a left-footed hit from outside the box. But no force or direction on it sees Machhindra get a free-kick.

Anwar tries to deliver a long ball from the back but Machindra intercepts it. However,, it does not take long for the Mariners to get back possession, with Asish threading it forward. Ashique gets a porr touch and then concedes a free-kick to end that attack.

Messouke gets the ball in the midfield and tries to start an attack for Machhindra but Brendan Hamill makes a crucial interception, stealing the ball away. The centre-back was instrumental against East Bengal as well, denying a certain goal to Javier Siverio.

Mohun Bagan has started in its conventional red-and-maroon shirt with white shorts while Machhindra is in white and blue.

The visitors had hardly started the match and Ashique gets the ball into the Machhindra box and shoot the ball just wide.

Machhindra FC gets the match rolling and Mohun Bagan starts on the offensive stealing the ball off the Nepalese side.

Teams of both players observe a minute’s silence for the demise of Indian football legend MD. Habib as the match kicks off after it.

The players have made their way into the tunnel and walk out to the field as thousands of fans cheer for the home side. Mohun Bagan lost the Kolkata derby at the same ground a few days ago. Winning here will be the perfect turn around for them.

Machhindra FC starts Bimal Gharti Magar against Mohun Bagan Super Giant in the AFC preliminary match. Bimal had previously played for the Mariners in the 2017-18 season.

Bishal Shrestha (C), Sanish, Omolaja, Devendra, Tshiring Gurung, Andreas Nia, Arik Bista, Bimal Magar, Aayush Ghalan, Afeez, Messouke Oloumou

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Vishal Kaith, Subhasish (C), Hamill, Anwar, Thapa, Glan, Ashique, Asish, Sahal, Boumous, Cummings

Mohun Bagan Super Giant will be looking to turn a fresh page as it begins its international calendar with a clash against Nepalese club Machhindra FC in the second stage preliminary round of the AFC Cup south zone play-offs, at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday.

With the wounds of the season’s first Kolkata derby loss (0-1) against traditional rival Emami East Bengal still fresh, Mohun Bagan will be eager to make amends with a positive result to quickly put the big disappointment behind.

Mohun Bagan, with the pre-season preparations barely a few weeks old, finds itself in a crosscurrent of campaigns.

Coach Juan Ferrando has to quickly put behind the euphoria of winning the Indian Super League last season and deal with overlapping assignments as the new season puts too many activities for his side that is still in the assembly mode.

The Spanish coach is now faced with the prospect of doing a tight-rope walk and preparing a competitive side with the team having to play a match without much rest.

“We definitely face the risk of injuries, which we can ill afford. The challenge is to prepare the side for a long season while expecting the players to come out of their best in every match while we are still in the pre-season preparations,” Ferrando said ahead of his team’s new assignment.

“In this situation, we will assess the fitness of the players and think of the best line-up according to the plan,” he added.

This time his team will have to put on a winning performance or else face an early exit from its only international assignment.

“The match against East Bengal is over and we have to look forward to qualifying for the next round of the AFC Cup. The team is going through a process as we have some new names on the side who need to adapt to our system,” Ferrando tried to put his team’s current situation in perspective.

Home advantage is among the big positives that Ferrando can look forward to. With India having a better international ranking than Nepal, Machhindra FC had to travel to Kolkata and plot its next move after having beaten Paro FC of Bhutan at home in the first stage of the playoffs (Mohun Bagan didn’t have to play this stage).

“Mohun Bagan is a star-studded side. It is unfortunate that they lost their previous match (against East Bengal) but they are a very good attacking side. We will have to make our defence strong and create opportunities to score goals,” Machhindra FC coach Kishor Kumar KC said.

The two-time Nepal A division champion will have its task cut out as Ferrando’s side look to rebound back from the earlier disappointment. “We know our opponent is big but we are mentally strong and eager to work hard to accept the challenge,” said the Machhindra captain Bishal Shrestha.

Mohun Bagan’s journey in the continental competition has not been very encouraging in the recent past as the team failed to move beyond the inter-zonal semifinal stage, prompting its owners to go for a big recruitment drive this time.

With international names like Australian World Cupper Jason Cummings, Albanian forward Armando Sadiku and Indian national team players like Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad and Anwar Ali joining its ranks, Mohun Bagan SG is expected to make its continental performance memorable this time.