Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings beat Indian Super League champions Mohun Bagan Super Giant by 2-1 goals in their crucial Group D match of the ongoing AFC Cup 2023-24 at the Bashundhara Kings Arena on Tuesday (November 7).
 
The home side conceded a goal when forward Liston Colaco hit a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner utilizing a mistake from Kings’ goalkeeper Mehdi Hasan Srabon in the 17th minute.
 
However, Kings’ Brazilian midfielder Miguel Figueira levelled the margin for the hosts with a stunning acrobatic goal in the 43rd minute.
 
The Brazilian star turned and took a royal swipe at the ball with his left foot from the edge of the box and perfectly buried it into the net, off a cross from Ivorian midfielder Kpehi Jean Charles Didier Brossou.
 
Captain Robson Robinho then confirmed the victory for Kings with a right-footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner, off an assist from Dorielton in the 80th minute.
 
With the day’s victory, Kings consolidated the top slot of this four-team group with seven points and kept their dream alive for the knockout stage of this continental event.
 
Meanwhile, Mohun Bagan, which suffered their first defeat in the ongoing meet, now also have the same 7 points but they dropped to the second spot as per AFC’s head-to-head rule.
 
The first-leg match between these two giants earlier ended in a 2-2 draw at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar last month.
 
Earlier, the crowded-packed Bashundhara Kings Arena, commonly known as the Kings’ den, witnessed the Bangladesh champions dominate the best clubs of the sub-continent Mohun Bagan throughout this high-voltage match.
 
The BPL champions, who appeared with an unchanged playing XI from their last game, put full pressure on Mohun Bagan’s defence from the first minute but their attackers wasted some close chances due to their poor finishes before the visitors took the lead in the match.
 
However, goals from Miguel Figueira and Robson Robinho after conceding one helped Kings move to the top of the points table in their group.
 
Meanwhile, coming from 0-2 goals behind, Indian club Odisha Football Club beat Maldivian outfit Maziya Sports and Recreation Club by 3-2 goals in the group’s other match in Male, Maldives on the same day.    
 
Defender Naiz Hassan and Serbian forward Vojislav Balabanovic scored one goal each for the hosts while Senegalese defender Mourtada Fall, Brazilian forward Diego Mauricio and Fijian forward Roy Krishna netted each for the visitors.

BDST: 2342 HRS, NOV 07, 2023 
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