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Indian Federation Cup champions Mohun Bagan defeated Maldivian FA Cup Club Valencia 4-1 in their AFC Cup – South Asia qualifiers return-leg at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday to reach the 2017 AFC Cup group stage.
The first leg of the tie had ended in a one-all draw, which had left both teams with a chance to move into the group stage with the away goal advantage to the Mariners.
Mohun Bagan had the perfect start as striker Jeje Lalpekhlua opened the scoring from a penalty in the second minute when the opponent defender mistakenly handled the ball inside the 18-yard box. Towards the last minutes of the first-half, Nihan Hussain netted an own goal, just to add more misery for the visitors as the Kolkata giants went 2-0 into the break.
Seven minutes into the second half, Omodu Godfrey instilled life in the match when he halved the difference from the top of the box and suddenly the islanders were only a goal away from upsetting Mohun Bagan.
But the hosts flooded the Maldivian team with a flurry of attacks, the panache was missing amongst the valiant Mariners.
AIFF 2016 Player of the Year Jeje Lalpekhlua bagged another goal in the 81st minute. Three minutes from the end of the regulation time, Haitian winger Sony Norde, who didn’t travel to Maldives for the first leg, nailed the final nail in the Club Valencia coffin through a side tapping.
Following this victory, Mohun Bagan will be clubbed with three other clubs from the South Asian zone in Bengaluru FC, Abahani Limited (Bangladesh) and Maziya Sports & Recreation (Maldives) in the group E of AFC Cup. The Group champion will, eventually, qualify to the Inter-zone Playoff semifinals.
Mohun Bagan interestingly open their 2017 AFC Cup group stage campaign against Indian rivals Bengaluru FC.
