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Abahani Limited will face ATK Mohun Bagan in the play-off match for the AFC Cup to claim the last spot in Group D, which already has Bashundhara Kings, Gokulam Kerala, and Maziya Sports.
The Sky-Blues got a walkover against Club Valencia from Maldives as they withdrew from the tournament.
In the other preliminary round match, ATK Mohun Bagan thrashed Blue Star Sporting Club 5-0 at the Salt Lake Stadium on Tuesday.
Two of the most successful sports clubs from West Bengal and Bangladesh will lock horns for one final spot in the AFC Cup at the Salt Lake Stadium on April 19.
Both clubs share a lot of history and passion from football lovers. As an exciting tie is just around the corner, officials from both clubs are very excited.
Uttam Saha, Treasurer of Mohun Bagan, told The Business Post that they are very excited to face Abahani.
“We knew that we have to face Abahani if we win against Blue Star. So, we had a mental preparation. Now, the coaches and the players will sit together to chalk out a plan. We know Abahani is a tough team. We played them many times on various occasions. But we have a good team too,” he said from Kolkata.
The match between Mohun Bagan and Abahani could be another heated affair as both teams have a large fanbase. Mohun Bagan have a strong rivalry with East Bengal, another club in Kolkata with a large following. And Abahani might garner support from East Bengal fans to counter the strong green-and-maroon presence at the Salt Lake stadium, one of the biggest stadiums in Asia.
In the last match, 33,000 tickets were up for sale but not all were sold. Yet, there was a good turnout where the supporters came with big banners and posters.
Abahani must absorb the pressure from the home crowd, which some of the players might have felt while playing against India in a World Cup qualifier in 2019.
Mohun Bagan also have a formidable side with quality foreign footballers like Joni Kauko, who was part of the Finland national team in the UEFA Nations Cup and Euro 2016 qualifying round. He scored a brace against Blue Star on Tuesday. They also have footballers from France, Australia, and Ireland.
Besides the foreigners, their forward Manvir Singh is also a keen scorer. He also hit the back of the net twice against the Sri Lankan side.
Abahani’s coach Mario Lemos is confident that his side can take down Mohun Bagan and earn the remaining spot in the AFC Cup.
“I think our plan is to be prepared for any case scenario. Of course, Mohun Bagan are the favourites, and they are the better team, but they need to win it from us. We will prepare ourselves accordingly,” he told the media.
“It’s a different competition (AFC Cup). We can try new things and see how the players get the momentum,” added the coach from Portugal.
If Abahani can win against Mohun Bagan on April 19, they will become the fourth team in Group D. The matches in group-stage are scheduled to take place in Kolkata, from May 18 to 24.
