Jose Ramirez Barreto after scoring the winner at Salt Lake Stadium on Tuesday. A Telegraph picture

Calcutta: After failing to be in National League title-race, Mohun Bagan have placed themselves in a good position in the AFC Cup Club Championship beating Thailand’s Osotspa M-150 by a Jose Ramirez Barreto strike at the Salt Lake Stadium in the return-leg match on Tuesday.

Mohun Bagan, now, are at second spot in group F with eight points from four matches, just below Singapore’s Tampines Rovers, who are sitting pretty at 10 from four outings. Mohun Bagan’s first-leg tie ended goalless.

Mohun Bagan suffered a setback before the start when they failed to register their new coach Bernard Operahanzie with the Asian body. The Nigerian was not allowed to sit on the bench. He watched the proceedings from the gallery with physio Robson Mattos taking the hot seat during the 90-minute affair.

Thai footballers did show some skill but their main strength was speed. On a hot and humid day, it was not possible for the foreign outfit to dish out their best.

The credit should also go to Mohun Bagan players, who for their own good, slowed down the game every time the opponents tried to speed it up.

D. Ravanan, Mehtab Hussain and Douglas da Silva need special mention for the home side. In the absence of stopper-back Deepak Mondal (groin strain), Ravanan came up with a brilliant performance.

Douglas, who got overboard on a few occasions, did his job of snatching the ball in front of the defenders. His distribution was also neat.

Strategically, Mohun Bagan tried to take the aerial route, knowing that Osotspa players were much shorter in height compared to the green-and-maroon players.

Even then, the two men up front — Bhaichung Bhutia and Barreto — were not that effective. It was one mistake from the Osotspa defenders that proved costly as Barreto doesn’t miss many.

Mehtab has been thronging the opposition goal on several occasions through perfect crosses. In the 44th minute, one of his crosses nicely landed near Barreto’s left foot after Bhutia tried to head it.

Barreto unleashed a firm left-footed volley from the edge of the box which went in through the second post after a slight deflection off a diving goalie Wisetsri Narong’s gloves.

Ravanan also made a goalline save in the 47th minute, when Maria failed to clear the ball after a planned move by Wangsawat Worawut and Jaihan Kittisak.

By virtue of this victory, Mohun Bagan are very much in the fray for a berth in the quarter finals (knockout). Apart from six group champions, two best runners-up teams (one from groups A, B, C and other from D, E, F) would also qualify.

Mohun Bagan still have two matches — versus Tampines Rovers (away) and Pahang FC (home) to consolidate their position further.

TEAMS

Mohun Bagan: Shilton Paul, Dulal Biswas, Sanjeev Maria, Fabio Cortez Vidal, D. Ravanan, Douglas da Silva, Suman Dutta, Mehtab Hussain, Lalkamal Bhowmick (Tomba Singh 75), Jose Ramirez Barreto (PC Lalawmpuia 85), Bhaichung Bhutia.

Osotspa M-150: Wisetsri Narong, Thanuson Siwamet (Ratchai Thongchai 77), Settanant Wanmai, Bunkham Jakrit, Wangsawat Worawut, Wandkahad Ponlawat (Khookaen Wuttichai 79), Jaihan Kittisak, Suntornpanavei Apiroo, Pettakua Decha, Cguwang Prathum, Purisay Sumanya (Kemden Kritsada 46).

Referee: Kone Jun Chul (Korea).

Man-of-the-Match: D. Ravanan.