Mohun Bagan SG finally lost to Bashundhara Kings in the AFC Cup. The Indian team lost 2-1 in a comeback effort at Bashundhara Kings Arena on Tuesday in a key Group D match.
Liston Colaco gave Mohun Bagan the lead in the game, but Miguel Ferreira and Robson Da Silva each scored a goal to tie it up. Kings played much better than they did in their away game two weeks ago.
With seven points from four games, both the visitors and the Bangladesh Premier League winners are now tied at the top of the table after their first win over Mohun Bagan. Kings, on the other hand, are ahead of Bagan because they won at home after a 2-2 draw away.
When Kings beat Mohun Bagan at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka on November 7, 2023, they celebrated. Picture: Firoz Ahmed
Kings played on their home pitch in front of an almost full house. They knew that only a win would give them a chance to get out of the group stage for the first time after two failed tries.
Kings had more reason to celebrate after their win over Mohun Bagan because they had not lost at home in any domestic or foreign game. Kings won their first AFC Cup game against Odisha FC last month and then won their second game in a row. At the same time, the Bangladesh national football team had not lost at this ground, either. They had tied Afghanistan twice and won against Maldives.
Under the lights, Oscar Bruzon’s charges got off to a great start. In the seventh minute, Dorielton Gomes almost put the two teams apart after Miguel set him up, but Bagan keeper Vishal Kaith blocked the forward pass from Miguel before the Brazilian forward could make a play.
Kings kept getting through the Mohun Bagan defence. In the eighth minute, Vishal saved a low shot from Dorielton. Then, in the thirteenth minute, Kings were lucky that the Mohun Bagan custodian couldn’t reach Robson’s curling shot that just missed the far post.
Mohun Bagan then took the lead against the flow of play when Jason Cumming tried to score at the near post from the left side. Kings’ inexperienced goalkeeper Mehdi Hasan Srabon lost his grip on the ball, and Liston easily put the rebound home, shocking Kings, who had also given up the lead in their previous three games.
But Kings gained confidence and came back strong, putting steady pressure on the other team until they tied the game in the 44th minute. Charles Didier sent Miguel a square pass on the top of the box from the right side. The Brazilian midfielder found room on his left foot and fired a powerful shot past Vishal in the goal, which thrilled the home crowd.
Vishal, the custodian, then stopped Miguel in the last few seconds of the first half. In the 51st minute, Robson’s signature curling shot from the left side of the box hit the far post. He was also stopped by the goalposts on the road game.
When Kings stopped pressing, Mohun Bagan made threats by having more of the ball and getting deeper into the game, but Kings’ young goalie Srabon stopped two attempts from the visitors.
Kings quickly woke up from their short sleep and took advantage of a nice move from the right flank, where Didier played a boring pass to Dorielton in the box. Dorielton then played the ball back to Robson, who wasn’t being watched. Robson found room and hammered a low right-footed shot into the near post in the 80th minute, giving Kings a well-deserved win over Mohun Bagan.
Bashundhara Kings will play their last game against Odisha FC in India on December 11. Their next game will be at home against Maziya SRC on November 27.