Mohun Bagan starts timid despite throwing all his eggs in AFC Champions League Two Basket

While the last whistle blew, the team in white celebrated on Tuesday in the middle of a sea of ​​silence in the Salt Lake Stadium.

For Mohun Bagan Super Giant and his fans, the excitement had reached a crescendo in the run -up to the opening AFC Champions League 2 match. With his arsenal freshly renovated with new talent, almost everything be a Mariners victory. But Ahal FK of Turkmenistan played Spoilsport in Kolkata, because the Mohun Bagan beat 1-0 with thanks to a late winner in the 83rd minute.

Joy and memories are short -lived in football. In April, Molina was at the center of attention and he was showered with so much love from Bagan’s believers after he had led the club to the ISL Dubbel. Four months later, Molina is again the center of attention, but not for a positive reason. While the Mohun Bagan players and the staff left the field after the loss, hymns of ‘Go Back Molina’ were clearly heard of the stands in the Salt Lake Stadium.

Doubtful team selection

Given the entire approach of Mohun Bagan, directly from the preseason, it seemed to be focused around performing well in Asia. Mohun Bagan refused to release his Indian players for the National Camp for the Cafa Nations League, and quoted that it was not bound because the window was not a FIFA-Gemandende. It clearly indicated that it could not run the risk that a player was injured before the Champions League 2 campaign

For all build-up, the team selection of head coach Jose Molina asked questions for the opening Champions League 2 match.

Before the game against Ahal FK, the only competitive football Mohun Bagan was in the Durand Cup this season. In that campaign, Anirudh Thapa had cemented his place in the team after his exploits in the middle of the park. A complete midfield motor, Thapa not only created opportunities for the forward line, but also played a crucial role in breaking down the opponents’ transitions.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant 0-1 Ahal FK – It happened

But Molina opted for Deepak Tangri to play next to Lalengmawia Ralte in midfield spivot instead of Thapa. With the scores level at 0-0, it took 58 minutes until Thapa was introduced. He did his bit when breaking off the opposition attacks in midfield, but was unable to find the fixed Ahal -Backline.

Despite the fact that AFC has relaxed its rules about the number of foreign players in a playing XI, Bagan chose only three overseas players – Centerbacks Tom Aldred and Alberto Rodriguez and Vooruit Jason Cummings – in the starting XI.

Molina played a 4-4-1-1 with Cummings who played for Sahal Abdul Samad, where both starters were not even a shot on goal. Jamie Maclaaren emerged in the 58th minute, while Dimitrios Petratos remained as an unused replacement, although Bagan lets the game chased the game. MacLaren was the most important scorer of Bagan with 12 goals last season, while Petratos has proven that he is able to produce moments on the game.

Even new signing Robson Robinho, when he came up in the 73rd minute, could not have an impact. But in his short cameo it is clear that the Brazilian is not yet entirely there, but he showed a glimpse of his vision with some defense-splitting diagonals-a’s of the few positives that Mohun Bagan fans can take out of the collision.

If the Spaniard wanted to keep strong foreign options on the couch, a midfield three from Sahal, Thala and Apuia, and one of two from Petratos and Maclaren would have been more in harmony with the power of Mohun Bagan, with Cummings later for fresh legs in the attacking third.

Another regrettable indictment was that the entire team of Ahal consists of players from Turkmenistan, while Bagan had quality players abroad at his disposal.

Despite the placement of all domestic XI, it was Ahal who had put all the important statistics in the shade. Ahal had 58% possession and had five shots on goal for lonely effort of Bagan

Fitness problems? If so – why?

The Molina team selection informs the issue of fitness issues. Was the coach of Mohun Bagan not satisfied with the suitability of some players, who led him to place such a reserved starting line -up?

Molina justified his selection after the defeat and stated: «I always set the line -up based on players I think it would help the team win.»

Bagan came across one side that was currently in the middle of the current domestic season, after he had played 16 league games since March. Ahal is currently second in the Yokary Liga point table.

Bad news for India

The loss of Mohun Bagan against Ahal is not only bad from the perspective of the Mariners, but also that of India’s coefficient ranking in Asian football. India is currently in 11th place in the AFC Club matches with 21,627 points.

This ranking determines the number of places that Indian clubs receive in the AFC Club competition. With points that are awarded for performance in competitions, a higher ranking India enables to secure more direct qualifying places for its clubs in the AFC club matches.

On paper, Ahal was supposed to be the easiest team that Mohun Bagan would be confronted in group C. Turkmenistan is ranked in one place above India in the AFC Club-Coëfficiemrank. In the following games it plays against relatively stronger teams in Sepahan (Iran) and Al-Hussein SC (Jordan). If the Mariners do not pick up points against these teams, India will lose points and run the risk of falling further in the AFC Club matches.

Published on September 17, 2025