Two sensational strikes, one each from Brazilain duo Miguel Damasceno and Robson Rovinho led Bushandhara Kings to defeat Mohun Bagan Super Giants came from behind in the AFC Cup on Tuesday.
Held at the Bashindhara Kings Arena it was a do or die encounter for Bashundhara Kings to stay on race of moving into the next round of the AFC Cup and by virtue of winning the match by 2-1 they remained strongly in contention.
But, who will qualify in the final round will depend on the next two matches, when Bashundhara Kings will have to play their away match against Odisha and will host Maziya Sports and Recreation Club.
If the Bashundhara could keep up their momentum to finish this leg equally with Mohun Bagan then, Bangladesh champions will move into the next phase leaving behind their Indian rivals by virtue of head to head results. However, the Bangladesh champions, Bashundhara Kings, who were on tricky position after losing their first match against Maziya Sports and Recreation Club of Maldives by 3-1, gradually got rid of the situation.
Bashundhara, the four times champions of the Bangladesh Premier League, had a big blow in their first match against Maziya in Male, despite playing dominating game but enriched just a little hope to remain in the race after a creditable 2-2 draw in their away match against Mohun Bagan. Then generated the expectation with a tremendous 3-2 win over Odisha FC at their home.
On Tuesday after defeating the Indian Super League champions in their fourth match, turned their slim hope to a strong claim of making a place into the next phase.
It was maiden victory of the Bangladesh champions Kings over Mohun Bagan, when in their last three meeting Indian sides won one and drew two.
India Super League champions, Mohun Bagan Club who were flying with three consecutive victories, suffered the first defeat after going down to Bashundhara Kings in the fourth match of the ongoing AFC Cup Football qualifying round.
Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan Club played a 1-1 draw with the Kings in the AFC Cup in Male in August 2021, outplayed the Kings 4-0 in the AFC Cup in Kolkata in May 2022, and drew 2-2 also in the AFC Cup match at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Odisha, on October 24, 2023.
In the day’s closely contested match, Indian national forward Liston Colaco put Mohun Bagan Super Giant ahead in the 17th minute when Kings’ defenders failed to clear a rebounder from goalkeeper. Colaco, who was left free inside the danger area, took the opportunity to shot on a rebounder from goalkeeper straight into the post.
Brazilian midfielder Miguel Damascena levelled the margin for the Bashundhara Kings just a minute before the opening 45 minutes to end. The Brazilian just dribbled past just nearer to the penalty arch and powered an angular shot into the top of the far post.
Robson Robinho the hard working playmaker, who led the team from front, finally made a party for the Kings, scoring the match-winning goal in the 80th minute with a placing shot from the six-yard box to finish an excellent combined efforts.
Kings earned the deserving win, playing an entertaining and dominating in the full 90 minutes game packed up home crowd.
Bashundhara Kings, which were placed in four-team Group D of the AFC Cup with Odisha FC, Mohun Bagan Club of India, and Maziya SRC of the Maldives, had already played four matches.
Each of the Group D teams of the AFC Cup 2023–24, a second-tier Asian Continental Club football competition after the AFC Champions League, will play the other three teams in a home-and-away round-robin format. Later, the table-toppers will progress to the AFC Cup inter-zone play-off semi-finals.
