AFC Cup: Mohun Bagan faces resolute Machhindra FC in preliminary round two game

Kolkata: Mohun Bagan Super Giant aspired to put its Durand Cup derby debacle behind, as Juan Ferrando's boys yearn to switch mindset to 'Asia'.

Mohun Bagan is set for a crucial AFC Cup Preliminary Round Two South Asia Zone match against Nepal's Machhindra FC at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan on Wednesday.

Despite starting favourite with a nearly set team featuring top names of Indian football, it was at this very this ground Mohun Bagan, last week, suffered a shocking 0-1 loss to archrival East Bengal.

Now, as his ISL winning team embarks on a new journey in the AFC Cup, Ferrando, addressing the media at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday, said, “We cannot change the past, we try to learn and improve."

Now, as his ISL winning team embarks on a new journey in the AFC Cup, Ferrando, addressing the media at the Salt Lake Stadium on Monday, said, “We cannot change the past, we try to learn and improve."

Worries remain for the Spaniard. The defeat to East Bengal has shaken Ferrando's belief as he sought more time for his players to settle. It also came as a welcoming warning for him at the onset of the season, giving him a chance to rebuild the unit around his newly recruited players. As apparent in the game against East Bengal, where Mohun Bagan was caught off guard against Carles Cuadrat's team's high presses in the midfield and attacks through the wings, Machhindra FC will be no pushover to such manoeuvres.

Even though the Nepalese club does not have a rich legacy like its Indian counterpart, the club coached by Kishore Kumar is known for deploying a counterattacking game, putting a solid imposition at the back. In its AFC Cup Qualifying game, Machhindra FC defeated Bhutanese side Paro FC 3-2.

The presence of an experienced custodian Bishal Shestra, who is also the captain, under the three sticks will again put Mohun Bagan's attack, featuring the likes of Liston Colaco and Jason Cummins, to the test.

In the attacking front, too, Nigerian forward Afeez Oladipo has the calibre to challenge the Bagan defence. His ability to penetrate the defence with a quick burst of speed and physical stamina to overcome hard tackles will keep defenders Anwar Ali and Brendan Hamill at the toe.

Understandably, Ferrando does not have any sense of complacency. "The international matches are difficult. Our opponent won the last match 3-2 and showed they are an aggressive and ambitious team. I will be a difficult match,” he said.

More so because the past results do not bode well for Mohun Bagan. In 2021, The Mariners were hammered 6-0 by Uzbek club FC Nasaf in the inter-zonal semifinals, and last year, they again suffered a 1-3 defeat to Kuala Lumpur City FC in front of a partisan crowd at the Salt Lake Stadium.

'We are here to win': Machhindra FC coach

Given the gulf of difference in standard and quality of players between the two clubs, Bagan should have it easy against Machhindra FC, but the host should be wary.

Kishore Kumar, the Machhindra FC coach, is buoyant by their win in the previous match and Mohun Bagan's recent defeat to East Bengal. He sent out an outright warning. "We have come here well prepared and we are here for a win. We will try to have a strong defensive line and create a few chances of scoring to look for a win," he said, adding, "The attackers of Mohun Bagan are very good. They play in what looks like a 4-2-3-1 formation. We will look to play with a resolute defence and go for a win."

Mohun Bagan has had national team players like Anirudh Thapa, Sahal Abdul Samad, Ashique Kuruniyan, Colaco, Manvir Singh and Anwar in its rank. And the squad is bolstered by the arrival of the club's foreign recruits Jason Cummings, Armando Sadiku, Dimitri Petratos and Hugo Boumous.

Players need time to adapt

But, despite having such a strong team at their disposal and enjoying the ball possession at 54 per cent, Mohun Bagan struggled to find the chinks in East Bengal's armoury. Unlike Mohun Bagan, the Red and Gold brigade has overhauled its team for the new season. Despite that, it successfully foiled Mohun Bagan's quest for its eighth straight derby win. Cuadrat's tactical moves of giving captain Harmanjot Khabra a free role, who crisscrossed the field till the final whistle, disrupting Bagan's efforts to build an attack, worked wonders. On the other hand, Saul Crespo won East Bengal the control at the midfield, jolting Mohun Bagan out of the game in the dying minutes.

In the backdrop of this heart-wrenching defeat, where Mohun Bagan's transition from the offence to defence was not swift, leaving Nandhakumar Sekar to score the winner, Ferrando sought time for his newly signed players.

“The players like Cummings, and Armando came last week, they need time to adapt. I know everyone is excited about Cummings and Armando. It is normal. The players need time and are training to work like a team," stressed the 42-year-old coach.

“Do not forget, it is difficult to come to India, the mentality, the culture, a lot of things change. It is necessary to trust in the process and go step by step," he added with a pledge, “Game by game, we will be improved. The most important thing is the process. I am sure in the next match our performance would be much better."

Yet, Ferrando said his team will be vying for full points against Machhindra. “We are all ready, it will be a big and tough game. Boys are really excited to play this game, we are looking forward," he said.

The winner of this match will advance to the main round and face either Abahani Limited Dhaka of Bangladesh or Club Eagles of the Maldives - who are scheduled to play in Sylhet in the south zone playoff on August 22.

Probable XI

As suggested by Ferrando, Kiyan Nassiri will be preferred ahead of Dimitri Petratos.

Vishal Kaith (GK), Anwar Ali, Brendan Hamill, Jason Cummings, Kiyan Nassiri, Hugo Boumous, Manvir Singh, Subhasish Bose (c), Abishek Suryavanshi, Liston Colaco, Glan Martins

The match will kick off at 7 PM IST on Wednesday, August 16, 2023.