MB eye fresh start to make mark in Asia

Kolkata: India’s top football club Mohun Bagan Super Giant will look to underline their continental ambitions when they open their AFC Champions League 2 campaign against Turkmenistan’s Ahal FK at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Tuesday.

The Kolkata giants, who secured direct entry into Asia’s second-tier competition by defending their ISL Shield last season, are featuring in the event for the second year running and are determined to make a deeper run this time.

Mohun Bagan were considered “withdrawn” from the 2024-25 season of AFC Champions League 2 after refusing to travel to Iran for their October 2 match against Tractor SC, citing security concerns. The AFC had then said all of Mohun Bagan’s results in Group A “stand cancelled” and would not count towards the final standings. This time, the city heavyweights enter the international meet on the back of a mixed run in domestic competitions. “We want to prove we are not only a great team in India, want to prove we want to compete in Asia, it’s a good opportunity for everyone to prove that, we can do it,” MBSG coach Jose Molina said on the eve of the match. agencies