ATK Mohun Bagan qualified for the knockout stages of the AFC Cup following a 1-1 stalemate with Bangladesh champions Bashundhara Kings in a Group D match at Male, Maldives on Tuesday. (More Football News)
This was the first time since 2018 that an Indian team has made the zonal semi-finals. ATKMB will play the winners of Uzbekistan’s Nasaf and Turkmenistan's Ahal
ATK Mohun Bagan qualified for the knockout stages of the AFC Cup following a 1-1 stalemate with Bangladesh champions Bashundhara Kings in a Group D match at Male, Maldives on Tuesday. (More Football News)
The Indian club made the inter-zonal semi-final of the second-tier continental tournament as Sout🍸🌺h Asian Zone champions.
B💎razilian midfielder Jonathan Fernandes (28') put the Bangladeshi side ahead in the first half before team-mate Sushanto Tripura (45+2') was sent off at the stroke of half-time.
Assis🍷ted by a Liston Colaco cross, Australian forward David Williams (62') scored the equaliser to make Bagan group toppers with seven points as the Kings finished second with five points.
The Kings were reduced to 10 men in the stoppage time of the first half when t𝕴heir🐎 right-winger Tripura was shown a red card.
This was the first time since 2018 that an Indian team has made the zonal semi-finals. Bagan will play the winners of Uzbekistan’s Nasaf and Turkmenistan's Ahal🥂 on September 22🐭.
ATKMB needed a win or a draw against Bashund🔜hara to go through while the Bangladeshi outfit required a win.
Bagan struggled at the start against the pressing game of a determined Kings and the latter gained control of the match when Fernandes struck one from the edg🐓e of the box giving the rival goalkeeper Amrinder Singh no chance.
Both tea💛ms had a few chances in the first quarter.
Searching an equaliser in their quest to avoid elimination, Bagan fou🀅nd one after the change of ends when the Kings appeared to be on the defensive with a man down.