AFC Cup 2023-24 football: Mohun Bagan beat Dhaka Abahani to qualify for main round

Indian football club Mohun Bagan Super Giant came from behind to defeat Bangladeshi side Dhaka Abahani 3-1 in the AFC Cup 2023-24 South Asia zone playoff match at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday. 

Mohun Bagan’s Australian recruit Jason Cummings (37’) scored from the spot after Cornelius Stewart (17’) put the visitors in the lead. An own goal from Dhaka Abahani’s Milad Sheikhi Soleimani (58') and a strike from Armando Sadiku (60') helped the hosts keep their continental cup hopes alive.

The Mariners will join Indian Super Cup champions Odisha FC, Bashundhara Kings from Bangladesh and the Maldives’ Maziya in the AFC Cup 2023-24 South Asia zone group stage starting next month. 

Mohun Bagan SG, the Indian Super League champions, and Dhaka Abahani traded end-to-end blows in the first 15 minutes but neither side could break through. While Mohun Bagan looked to set the tempo with an early goal, Dhaka Abahani threatened with swift counter-attacking moves.

However, a missed catch from Mohun Bagan’s goalkeeper Vishal Kaith gifted the Dhaka side the lead in the 17th minute.

Mohun Bagan SG started to settle in as the match progressed. Jason Cummings, along with Sahal Abdul Samad missed a few good scoring opportunities but the former’s strike from the spot restored parity in the 37th minute. 

The second half saw Mohun Bagan dominate the possession and deny Dhaka Abahani forwards any meaningful openings. Cornelius Stewart, who scored for Dhaka Abahani in the first half, was also kept quiet by the Mohun Bagan defence. 

While the counter-attacks dried up from Dhaka Abahani, some excellent crosses from Mohun Bagan’s Hugo Boumous and Jason Cummings tested the Dhaka Abahani defence, which eventually conceded an own goal under pressure in the 58th minute. 

Two minutes later, a quickly taken corner from Hugo Boumous was converted by Mohun Bagan’s Albanian forward Armando Sadiku, who beat the opposition goalkeeper and captain Shahidul Alam to make it 3-1.

Despite a two-goal cushion, Mohun Bagan looked the likelier side to score in the next 30 minutes. 

Manvir Singh and Kiyan Nassiri, who replaced goalscorers Armando Sadiku and Jason Cummings, respectively, combined well in the final minutes to almost add to Mohun Bagan’s lead. The scores, however, stayed 3-1 on the final whistle.

Mohun Bagan SG, previously known as ATK Mohun Bagan, defeated Dhaka Abahani with the same scoreline at the same stage and venue last year. Mohun Bagan SG went on to top the group stage but faltered at the inter-zone semi-finals stage.

The AFC Cup 2023-24 group stage will kick off on September 18.