Report Wire

Tag: AFC Cup

  • Gokulam Kerala to play AFC Cup Group matches in Kolkata

    Kolkata will host the centralised Group D South Zone matches of the AFC Cup 2022 that includes Indian membership Gokulam Kerala FC, the Asian Football Confederation confirmed on Thursday.

    Besides Gokulam Kerala FC, the opposite groups in Group D are Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings, Maziya Sports and Recreation of the Maldives together with the winner of a six-team South Asian contest within the preliminary and play-off levels.

    The AFC on Thursday confirmed the centralised venues for the group stage matches of the AFC Cup 2022, scheduled to be performed within the West and South Zones from May 18 to 24, and within the ASEAN, Central and East Zones from June 24 to 30.

    The AFC Cup 2022 Group A matches shall be held in Muscat, Oman, the place three-time winners Kuwait SC will battle Lebanon’s Al Ansar in addition to Al Seeb Club from Oman and Jableh of Syria.

    Group B will happen in in Kuwait City, that includes Al Riffa from Bahrain, Palestine’s Shabab Al Khalil, Dhofar Club of Oman and Kuwaiti facet Arabi SC, whereas Manama, Bahrain, will host the matches in Group C, which consists of Syrian facet Tishreen, Nejmeh from Lebanon, East Riffa of Bahrain and Palestine’s Hilal Al Quds.

    Dushanbe, Tajikistan, will host the Group E matches involving Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr, Kyrgyz Republic’s PFC Neftchi in addition to match debutants FC CSKA from Tajikistan and both FC Nasaf or PFC Sogdiana from Uzbekistan.

    Group F, in the meantime, shall be held in Bishkek, Kyrgyz Republic, and can characteristic FC Khujand of Tajikistan, Kyrgyz Republic’s FC Dordoi and Kopetdag from Turkmenistan.

    Denpasar, Indonesia, will present the backdrop for the matches in Group G which options the likes of Indonesia’s Bali United, Kedah Darul Aman FC from Malaysia and Kaya FC-Iloilo from the Philippines, whereas Group H shall be contested in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

    In the East Zone battles, Tainan, Chinese Taipei, will set the stage for the contenders in Group J, which embrace Hong Kong’s Eastern Long Lions, MUST CPK of Macau, Chinese Taipei facet Tainan City and both Hong Kong’s Lee Man or Athletic 220 from Mongolia.

    The host venue for the centralised matches in Group I is but to to finalised.

  • ATK Mohun Bagan points apology after official’s AFC Cup remarks attracts ire

    Mohun Bagan and East Bengal. These are the 2 names that are synonymous with Kolkata in addition to Indian soccer. The rivalry between the 2 golf equipment is the stuff of legends, with tales of incidents throughout matchdays as previous as time. So, when with a purpose to play within the Indian Super League (ISL), Mohun Bagan needed to merge with the pre-existing ISL franchise ATK in 2020, followers initially reacted with scepticism, considering the identification of this as soon as proud membership was in jeopardy. They have been, nevertheless, considerably pacified after ATK Mohun Bagan introduced that they are going to be retaining the enduring inexperienced and maroon colors in addition to Mohun Bagan’s emblem.
    The followers’ ire was stoked as soon as once more when in an interview to a web-based media channel, Utsav Parekh, a member of ATK Mohun Bagan’s board of administrators, mentioned that Mohun Bagan may by no means have dreamt of enjoying within the AFC Cup inter-zonal semi-finals with out the help of ATK. These feedback led to such a backlash on social media that ATK Mohun Bagan on Thursday needed to apologise on behalf of Parekh.

    OFFICIAL STATEMENT 🟢🔴#ATKMohunBagan #PleasureMohunBagan #Mariners pic.twitter.com/b3MiV1vmNY
    — ATK Mohun Bagan FC (@atkmohunbaganfc) September 2, 2021

    “ATK are enhancing Mohun Bagan’s name. They never played in the AFC Cup on their own because they did not have the chance to do so,” Parekh had mentioned.

    So, as per this interview of Mr. Utsav Parekh, one of many Directors in ATKMB, opined that Mohun Bagan, in their very own, by no means was capable of play AFC Cup. They truly glorified MB’s identify by enabling MB take part in AFC Cup.
    OK. Thank You Sir. pic.twitter.com/4fhLaNTFqG
    — The Mariners’ (@MohunBaganFollowers) September 2, 2021
    In order to manage the scenario, ATK Mohun Bagan tweeted: “We apologise for a comment made by one of our directors with respect to ATK Mohun Bagan’s participation in the AFC Cup. We have utmost respect for the rich legacy and heritage of Mohun Bagan and will continue to uphold the same.”

  • ATKMB qualify for knockouts of AFC Cup after 1-1 draw with Bashundhara Kings

    ATK Mohun Bagan certified for the knockout phases of the AFC Cup following a 1-1 stalemate with Bangladesh champions Bashundhara Kings in a Group D match right here on Tuesday.
    The Indian membership made the inter-zonal semi-final of the second tier continental match as South Asian Zone champions.
    Brazilian midfielder Jonathan Fernandes (28′) put the Bangladeshi facet forward within the first half earlier than team-mate Sushanto Tripura (45+2′) was despatched off on the stroke of half-time.
    Assisted by a Liston Colaco cross, Australian ahead David Williams (62′) scored the equaliser to make Bagan group toppers with seven factors because the Kings completed second with 5 factors.
    The Kings have been lowered to 10 males within the stoppage time of the primary half when their right-winger Tripura was proven a pink card.
    This was the primary time since 2018 that an Indian workforce has made the zonal semi-finals. Bagan will play the winners of Uzbekistan’s Nasaf and Turkmenistan’s Ahal on September 22.
    ATKMB wanted a win or a draw in opposition to Bashundhara to undergo whereas the Bangladeshi outfit required a win.
    Bagan struggled in the beginning in opposition to the urgent sport of a decided Kings and the latter gained management of the match when Fernandes struck one from the sting of the field giving the rival goalkeeper Amrinder Singh no likelihood.
    Both groups had a couple of possibilities within the first quarter.
    Searching an equaliser of their quest to keep away from elimination, Bagan discovered one after the change of ends when the Kings seemed to be on the defensive with a person down.

  • AFC Cup: ATK Mohun Bagan require attract closing group match to enter knockouts

    ATK Mohun Bagan pumped in three second half targets in a superb comeback to beat Maziya Sports & Recreation of the Maldives 3-1 of their Group D match and transfer inside some extent of reaching the AFC Cup knockout stage right here.
    The Kolkata-based Indian Super League crew was trailing 0-1 at half time after Ibrahim Aisham had scored for the house facet within the twenty fifth minute.
    But ATK Mohun Bagan struck within the forty eighth, 63rd and 77th minutes by Liston Colaco, Roy Krishna and Manvir Singh to emerge victorious on Saturday.
    With two wins from two matches, Antonio Habas’ facet simply want a draw of their final group match on Tuesday in opposition to Bashundhara Kings — on 4 factors — of Bangladesh for a spot within the Inter-Zone Semi-final.
    Maziya be a part of India’s one other membership Bengaluru FC in being eradicated from the competitors. Bengaluru FC had performed out a 0-0 draw in opposition to Bashundhara on Saturday after dropping to ATK Mohun Bagan 0-2 of their marketing campaign opener.
    The dwelling facet opened their account for the marketing campaign after 25 minutes when Cornelius Stewart led a fast counter-attack, embarking on a solo run down the best earlier than crossing for Ibrahim Aisham who swept dwelling Maziya’s opener.
    Five minutes later, the Maldives facet have been near including a second similarly with Stewart once more offering the availability down the best, however this time he fed Hussain Nihan contained in the field and the latter squared throughout the mouth of objective for Hamzath Mohamed who fluffed his traces.
    Liston Colaco examined the goalkeeper with a well-struck free-kick from 25 yards out as ATK Mohun Bagan chased an equaliser, however Mirzokhid Mamatkhonov was up for the problem and parried away the hassle to maintain Maziya within the lead on the break.
    The Indian facet acquired their second half off to a flying begin as halftime substitute Ashutosh Mehta produced an instantaneous impression, whipping a pinpoint cross from the best for Colaco who met it with a diving header into the again of the web to deliver ATK Mohun Bagan stage.
    Four minutes after the hour-mark, substitute Hugo Boumous executed a nice through-pass, sending Colaco by on objective, however the latter’s try was saved by the hosts’ Uzbek goalkeeper, however solely so far as the onrushing Roy Krishna who saved his composure to expertly strike on the rebound to present ATK Mohun Bagan the lead for the primary time within the match.
    France-born Boumous displayed his artistic skills as soon as extra with 14 minutes to go, feeding Manvir Singh with an beautiful cross, and the ahead made no errors with solely the goalkeeper to beat, drilling it into the underside nook to make it 3-1.
    Habas later mentioned a change in formation noticed his facet up the tempo within the second half as three gamers discovered the again of the web.
    “We had some difficulties with the opponent, because they scored first. After a change of system, we became consistent and I’m very proud of my players,” Habas mentioned after the match.
    “We have six points, and no other team has that. (In this match) we had the possibility to draw, but we didn’t have to think that way, only the possibility for us to try to win, and this will be our idea for the next match.”
    Roy Krishna’s total efficiency, moreover the second objective for ATK Mohun Bagan, noticed him being named the Player of the Match and the Fiji worldwide mentioned the crew by no means doubted themselves regardless of Maziya taking the lead.
    “We knew that we had the quality, with the best players in our team and we trusted in the way we played,” mentioned Krishna.
    “We knew we would get more chances and we just had to be patient. We hurried a lot (in the first half) but we played the way we wanted in the second half and got the goals.”

  • AFC Cup Group Stage: Bengaluru FC play out 0-0 draw in opposition to Bashundhara Kings

    A aim remained elusive for Bengaluru FC regardless of a late onslaught as they performed out a 0-0 draw with Bashundhara Kings of Bangladesh of their second group match within the AFC Cup on Saturday.
    Bengaluru thought they’d scored the decisive aim within the 74th minute solely to see Alan Henrique Costa’s header hit the crossbar.
    With only one level from two matches, the Sunil Chhetri-led staff is now in a troublesome place to advance to the knock-out stage with solely the group winners making the grade.
    Bashundhara, on 4 factors now, ought to thank their goalkeeper Anisur Rahman for making a sequence of saves late within the match to assist the Bangladesh Premier League champions earn a doubtlessly essential draw.
    In a match the place either side had sufficient possibilities to assert all three factors, Rahman and his Bengaluru reverse Gurpreet Singh Sandhu each proved unbeatable, with Bashundhara’s share of the spoils proving much more useful within the group standings.
    Bashundhara got here into the match hoping to construct on their opening win over Maziya Sports & Recreation, whereas Bengaluru had no room for failure following their defeat in opposition to ATK Mohun Bagan, and neither aspect gave something away in a cagey opening interval.
    A mazy run from Bashundhara’s Brazilian star Robinho gave a glimpse of the expertise the Bangladeshi champions had at their disposal however it was Bengaluru defender Yrondu Musavu-King who had the primary actual scoring probability of the sport when his header was effectively saved by Anisur Rahman.
    Rahman’s reverse Gurpreet was known as upon for the primary time when he saved out a swerving effort from one other of Bashundhara’s Brazilians, Fernandes, within the thirty third minute, earlier than Bengaluru ahead Bidyashagar Singh lashed a volley over the crossbar on the different finish as the primary half completed goalless.
    The sport burst into life with an exciting sequence within the 56th minute, when Robinho wriggled into the penalty and compelled a save from Gurpreet, with Roshan Singh Naroem launching himself to make a looping goal-line clearance.
    While Robinho was on the coronary heart of all issues optimistic from Bashundhara, Bengaluru seemed to Chhetri for inspiration, and the veteran striker was not too distant from breaking the impasse when he despatched an effort narrowly over the crossbar simply after the hour mark.
    Bashundhara had been denied in a goalmouth scramble earlier, and it was Bengaluru’s flip to endure in a drama-filled 74th minute, when a deflected Chhetri strike was saved out by a determined Anisur save.
    The Indian aspect went even nearer when Alan Costa’s header from the ensuing nook hammered into the crossbar and onto the goal-line with out stepping into.
    With Bashundahra visibly tiring, it took a wonderful low save from the very good Anisur to maintain Cleiton’s Silva’s goal-bound effort out with eight minutes remaining.
    Danish Farooq’s volley flew excessive and extensive three minutes later to depart Bengaluru’s knockout hopes hanging by the thinnest of threads.

  • AFC Cup: ATK Mohun Bagan search back-to-back wins after medical present in opener

    On a excessive after a medical efficiency of their opener, ATK Mohun Bagan would search for back-to-back success and transfer nearer to qualifying for the knockout stage after they face Maziya Sports & Recreation of Maldives in an AFC Cup group sport right here on Saturday.
    Antonio Lopez Habas’ Kolkata aspect beat fellow Indian membership Bengaluru FC 2-0, registering extra pictures on track regardless of having solely 32 % possession.
    A win on Saturday may put ATK Mohun Bagan on the verge of a knockout berth from Group D however Habas is conserving his focus solely on the match.
    “We are going from match to match, and we have another opponent waiting,” stated Habas.
    “It’s the same idea to give absolute respect to the opponent and we will need to develop our football on the pitch. In football, you could have one bad day or situation that could change the outcome.”

    AFC Cup 2021 | ATK Mohun Bagan vs Bengaluru FC – Highlights:
    A objective every from Roy Krishna and Subhasish Bose ensured that the #Mariners kick-started their #AFCCup Campaign with a 2-0 victory! 💚❤️#ATKMohunBagan #MarinersInAsia #PleasureMohunBagan #IndianSoccer #ATKMBvBFC pic.twitter.com/WdTakmPwjV
    — ATK Mohun Bagan FC (@atkmohunbaganfc) August 19, 2021
    The Spaniard stated his gamers might want to play with depth all through the 90 minutes.
    “We know how they (Maziya Sports & Recreation) played with other teams, but we have to see how they will perform against us, because maybe they might play differently with a different behaviour.”
    The residence aspect, alternatively, are coming into the match after a 0-2 defeat by the hands of Bangladesh’s Bashundhara Kings.
    They fell to 2 first half targets in opposition to Bashundhara however head coach Risto Vidakovic is hoping to construct on their second half efficiency to upset ATK Mohun Bagan.
    “I’ve talked to the players, and we know that we didn’t play our best game. We were too nervous, especially in the first half. After the first goal, the team was more nervous,” Vidakovic stated.
    “It’s not easy to be two goals down and turn everything, as it’s too much pressure. But that game is in the past, and we have to focus on the future. We have another opportunity (against ATK Mohun Bagan) and we are going for it.”
    The winners of the four-team Group D will advance to the inter-zone semi-finals in opposition to both FC Nasaf of Uzbekistan or FC Ahal of Turkmenistan from the central cone.

  • AFC Cup: BFC’s playoff match in opposition to Eagles FC in Maldives on August 15

    Indian membership Bengaluru FC will play its 2021 AFC Cup playoff match in opposition to Eagles FC within the Maldives on August 15, the Asian Football Confederation mentioned on Monday.
    The AFC confirmed that the playoff and group stage (South) matches of the second-tier continental membership competitors shall be held within the Maldives.
    BFC, the 2016 AFC Cup runners-up, will tackle Maldives’ Eagles FC within the playoff match, with the winners becoming a member of India’s ATK Mohun Bagan FC, Maziya Sports & Recreation from Maldives, and 2020-21 Bangladesh Federation Cup winners Bashundhara Kings in Group D.
    “The Blues’ AFC Cup Playoff Clash against Club Eagles FC will take place on August 15th, in the Maldives. The winner of this clash will join ATK Mohun Bagan FC, Maziya S&RC and Bashundhara Kings in Group D,” Bengaluru FC tweeted.
    The Group D matches shall be held throughout three match days on August 18, 21, and 24, with the group leaders advancing to the single-leg inter-zone semi-final.
    In May, BFC’s play-off match in opposition to Eagles FC was postponed indefinitely after three members of the visiting group violated COVID-19 protocols.
    The postponement got here after the host nation’s sports activities minister Ahmed Mahloof requested the ISL aspect to depart, citing breach of COVID-19 protocols, a sentiment echoed by membership proprietor Parth Jindal.
    The membership has already began coaching for its upcoming match.

  • Bengaluru FC’s AFC Cup play-off fixture rescheduled to May 11

    Bengaluru FC’s AFC Cup play-off match, which was postponed as a result of COVID-19 pandemic earlier this month, has been rescheduled for May 11.
    BFC, runners-up in 2016, have been earlier scheduled to play on April 28.
    They will now journey to Maldives to tackle hosts Club Eagles subsequent month for the group D fixture.
    “The sub-committee also agreed to award the Playoff Stage slot to Club Eagles, who will now face India’s JSW Bengaluru FC for a place in the AFC Cup Group D on May 11, 2021 in Maldives,” Asian Football Confederation (AFC) stated in a press launch on Friday.
    BFC have been earlier drawn to play the winners of the match between six-time Bangladesh Premier League champions Abahani and Maldives’ Eagles.
    However, a national lockdown and journey restrictions in Bangladesh pressured Abahani to withdraw from the match.
    “Taking into careful consideration the exceptional circumstances surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, in particular the lockdown and travel restrictions in Bangladesh, the Sub-Committee decided that Abahani Limited Dhaka are considered to have withdrawn from the AFC Cup 2021 and that the situation constituted an event of force majeure.”
    The AFC additionally introduced that Myanmar golf equipment Hantharwady United FC and Shan United FC have withdrawn from the AFC Cup and AFC Champions League, respectively.
    “The AFC Competitions Committee noted and acknowledged the challenges as well as the present complexities caused by the state of emergency in Myanmar and decided that the situation constituted an event of force majeure.”
    In gentle of the event, the AFC Competitions Committee has cancelled the Champions League preliminary stage match between Shan United FC and Melbourne City FC.
    “To determine the remaining slots for the 2021 AFC Club Competitions, the AFC Competitions Committee has decided to cancel the AFC Champions League Preliminary Stage match between Shan United FC and Australia’s Melbourne City FC, who will now advance to the playoff stage where they will face Cerezo Osaka from Japan.”
    The committee additionally cancelled the AFC Cup playoff stage match between Hantharwady United FC, who have been initially scheduled to face the winner of the preliminary stage match between FC Chanthabouly from Laos and Brunei Darussalam’s Kasuka FC.
    “FC Chanthabouly and Kasuka FC will instead compete for a direct slot in Group G occupying position G4, alongside Hanoi FC from Vietnam, Bali United FC from Indonesia and Cambodia’s Boeung Ket,” the assertion learn.
    The AFC Cup playoff stage match between Persipura Jayapura and the winner of the preliminary stage tie between Visakha FC and Lalenok United FC has additionally been referred to as off.
    “Persipura Jayapura has instead received an automatic entry into Group H in position H4, alongside Kedah Darul Aman from Malaysia, Singapore’s Lion City Sailors FC and Saigon FC from Vietnam, while Visakha FC and Lalenok United FC will compete for a place in Group I.”
    In their final outing, BFC thrashed Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FC 5-0 in Bambolim, Goa.
    The fixture was new coach Marco Pezzaiuoli’s first aggressive recreation accountable for the Blues, since his appointment as head coach in February.

  • Bengaluru FC’s AFC Cup playoff match indefinitely postponed

    Bengaluru FC’s AFC Cup play-off match, scheduled to be held on April 28, has been indefinitely postponed because the preliminary recreation to resolve their opponents is but to happen as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.
    BFC, runners-up in 2016, have been drawn to play the winners of the match between six-time Bangladesh Premier League champions Abahani and Maldives’ Eagles.
    Abahani have been scheduled to host Eagles on April 14 on the Bangabandhu National Stadium in Dhaka however the countrywide lockdown as a result of pandemic compelled the hosts to droop the match.
    The match was then scheduled for April 21 in Kathmandu however journey restrictions got here in the best way.
    “As of now you can say that BFC’s next match stands indefinitely postponed. BFC can’t play till the other game is played as they are supposed to meet the winner of that game,” a supply near BFC informed PTI on Friday.
    “Their match was rescheduled for April 21 but today is April 23, two days have passed and we don’t know the status of that game. So it’s not possible for BFC to play on April 28,” he added.
    BFC’s match stands postponed, as per the fixtures within the web site of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
    According to main Bangladesh newspaper Daily Star, the AFC has requested Abahani if they will play their preliminary stage match towards Eagles in India.
    In their final outing, BFC thrashed Nepal’s Tribhuvan Army FC 5-0 in Bambolim, Goa.
    The fixture was new coach Marco Pezzaiuoli’s first aggressive recreation in control of the Blues, since his appointment as head coach in February.
    Bengaluru FC have been in Goa for little over 4 weeks, residing in a bio-secure bubble.

  • Bengaluru FC rating 5 previous Tribhuvan Army, enter AFC Cup playoffs with ease

    A second half objective rush noticed Bengaluru FC mark the beginning of recent coach Marco Pezzaiuoli’s reign on the membership with a convincing 5-0 win over Nepalese aspect Tribhuvan Army FC of their 2021 AFC Cup Preliminary stage two conflict right here on Wednesday.
    Goals from Rahul Bheke (2), Cleiton Silva (2) and Sunil Chhetri put a seal on the tie and handed the Blues passage into the playoff levels of the continental competitors.
    Gabonese defender Yrondu Musavu-King made his Bengaluru debut, partnering Juanan Gonzalez on the again.
    The Blues made a powerful begin to the sport, controlling possession and being affected person of their seek for a gap.
    Ashique Kuruniyan and Bheke supplied width on the flanks, as Bengaluru seemed to stretch the guests and discover gaps of their defence.
    Tribhuvan Army made their first foray into the Blues’ field within the thirteenth minute, which ended with Gurpreet Singh Sandhu making a regulation save from what was a speculative effort from the sting of the world. Only two minutes later, Tribhuvan skipper Nawayug Shrestha raced free down the left flank however Bheke’s well-timed sliding deal with stopped him in his tracks.
    The Blues’ finest likelihood of the primary interval fell to skipper Chhetri, however his effort from throughout the field was parried away by TAFC custodian Biwash Chaudhary. Ashique Kuruniyan’s effort on the rebound was then saved by Chaudhary, and the perimeters made their method into the tunnel with the scores unchanged.
    The Blues got here out all weapons blazing within the second interval, and their persistence was rewarded simply six minutes after the break, when Rahul Bheke nodded residence a nook from Cleiton Silva to place Bengaluru 1-0 up. Only moments later, a scramble within the field noticed the ball fall to Chhetri, who made no mistake to fit previous Biwash to double the Blues’ benefit.
    The Blues then added two extra in fast succession, with Silva’s stamp on each. Chhetri flicked the ball to the Brazilian, who shrugged off his marker, rounded the ‘keeper after which slotted residence into an empty internet to make it 3-0 on the night time.
    Less than a minute later, Udanta managed to wriggle freed from three gamers down the appropriate flank and located Bheke, whose cross into the world was introduced down by Cleiton and completed on the flip previous a hapless Biwash within the TAFC objective.
    In what was a repeat of the Blues’ opener, Silva’s nook within the sixty fifth minute was nodded residence as soon as once more by Bheke for Bengaluru’s fifth of the night.
    Pezzaiuoli then shuffled along with his personnel, sending on Ajith Kumar, Edmund Lalrindika and Namgyal Bhutia.
    Damaitphang Lyngdoh’s introduction within the seventy fifth minute had a contact of historical past to it, because the Meghalaya-born midfielder turned the Blues’ youngest ever participant.
    Bengaluru have been joyful to maintain possession for the rest of the sport, closing out what was a dominant second-half efficiency.
    The Blues will face considered one of Abahani Dhaka Limited (Bangladesh) or Club Eagles (Maldives), of their playoff conflict, scheduled to happen on the identical venue.