Turkmenistan (140) are, as per Fifa rankings, seven spots below India. At the Salt Lake Stadium on Tuesday, Turkmenistan-based Ahal FK, without any overseas players, handed Indian footballing powerhouse Mohun Bagan Super Giant a 1-0 defeat.
For the visitors, the task was obviously tough. However, taking the disadvantages of an away encounter into their stride, Ahal stunned Mohun Bagan to carve out an impressive start to their AFC Champions League (ACL) II campaign. The fancied Bagan, on the other hand, are still looking for a reason to smile.
Substitute Enver Annayev, introduced in the 79th minute, scored off a left-footed grounder four minutes later, which went on to be the winner for Ahal.
Enver, having played at this venue earlier as a member of FK Arkadag, who beat East Bengal earlier this year in an AFC Challenge Cup game, made room for the shot despite a difficult angle. He was set up by another substitute Alibek Abdurahmanov.
Right through, Ahal showed a fair amount of patience, having no problems in playing the waiting game. Playing quick passes in the midfield, with some of the players impressing with their touch play, Ahal ensured Bagan didn’t have a high ball possession either.
With a bit of luck, they could have scored one in the first half, too, had Magtymberdi Berenov’s flick off fullback Bashimov Hakmuhammet’s cross from the right not struck the far post. With the Bagan defence being quite shaky at times, Berenov, replaced by Enver later, got another chance to score. But fortunately for the home team, their goalkeeper and captain Vishal Kaith saved the right-footer.
Bagan coach Jose Francisco Molina slotted just one overseas striker in the form of Jason Cummings in the opening half. He then brought in Jamie Maclaren in place of Kiyan Nassiri in the 58th minute, alongside handing a Bagan debut to Brazilian Robson Robinho.
The ploy did provide thrust to Bagan’s attacks as Maclaren set one up for Cummings, whose left-footer went wide.
Robson, thereafter, fed Sahal Abdul Samad with a long ball on the right, but the latter couldn’t convert. Fitness has been a concern for some of the Bagan players, but perhaps Molina should also rethink the kind of practice his team has been doing over the past six weeks.