Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) and Tajikistan’s FC Ravshan played out a 0-0 draw in the AFC Champions League 2 opener at Yuvabharati Krirangan, Kolkata. After a defensive first half, towards the end of the second half, the home side created a lot of chances but failed to convert.
Mohun Bagan coach Jose Molina opted for a 4-4-2 formation, with Tom Aldred and Dippendu Biswas in central defence. With Alberto Rodriguez missing the match due to an injury sustained in the ISL opener, Aldred had to shoulder most of the responsibility. Ashish Rai was one of the full-backs, while captain Subhasish Bose played an advanced role, especially during attacks.
Surprisingly, Deepak Tangri was given a chance ahead of Lalengmawia Apuia. Jason Cummings and Dimitri Petratos led the attack, alongside Manvir Singh. Both teams started the match steadily, with no threatening attacks from either side. For the first 25 minutes, the game remained balanced, with most of the action concentrated in the midfield.
Neither Bagan nor Ravshan were able to penetrate the final third. However, in the 26th minute, as a result of Dippendu’s tackle, the Tajikistan side were awarded a free-kick from which Nazarov Kholmurod hit the side netting. A minute later, Ravshan had another opportunity as their skipper, Muhammadjon Rahimov, unleashed a vicious shot on goal. But Bagan keeper Vishal Kaith stood tall, making a crucial save to keep the score at 0-0. The Mariners failed to register a single shot on target in the first half.
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In the second half, Bagan began focusing on playing long balls, mirroring Ravshan’s strategy from the first half. The home side managed their first corner of the match in the 56th minute, which indicates just how strong and organised Ravshan’s defence was throughout the game. A few minutes later, Molina made two changes, bringing on Apuia for Anirudh Thapa and Liston Colaco for Sahal Abdul Samad.
Bagan looked livelier as the game progressed, with Yevhen Heytsenko stepping up on several occasions to sweep up loose balls. In the 76th minute, Ravshan’s defence was caught napping, and Apuia delivered a beautiful pass over the defence to Cummings. However, the Australian striker attempted a cheeky chip, which ended up in the Ravshan keeper’s hands. Soon after, Greg Stewart came on in place of Manvir.
Petratos had a chance but failed to convert. In the 85th minute, Colaco attempted a curling shot to break the deadlock, but it went wide of the target. Two minutes later, Cummings took a long-range shot, which deflected to Petratos, who slotted the ball into the net. However, the assistant referee flagged off-side. In the four minutes of added time, Petratos had another chance, but once again, Yevhen rose to the occasion to deny the Bagan forward.
The match ended 0-0, with both teams earning a point. Approximately 19,000 fans were present, but their support wasn’t enough to change the scoreline. After conceding nine goals in the previous four matches, Mohun Bagan finally registered a clean sheet under Molina. However, their inability to convert chances in the final 10 minutes raises some questions. Even some ‘Go Back’ slogans were hurled at for Molina before he left the Stadium.
Also Read: Mohun Bagan face tricky Tajik task against Ravshan in ACL 2 opener