Odisha FC ready to embark on continental sojourn vs Mohun Bagan

KOLKATA: Odisha FC (OFC) and Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) are familiar foes as clubs competing in the national league and tournaments. But when the Indian Super League (ISL) sides lock horns in their opening AFC Cup (south zone) Group D match at Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday evening, it will be an unexplored territory for the home side against a team that has enough experience of competing at Asia’s second-tier tournament.

However, with a new-look squad under new coach Sergio Lobera, Odisha will aim to start off their debut continental journey with a statement against the Kolkata giants who are determined to better their previous record in the tournament.

Both clubs have had different paths to AFC Cup group stage and have gone through contrasting ways prior to the start of the Asian meet.

Odisha have secured their passage to the prestigious meet by virtue of winning the 2023 edition of Super Cup and thereafter beating I-League champions Gokulam Kerala in a decisive playoff. However, sending their reserve team to the season opening Durand Cup meant the main team is short of enough game time going into the competitive season.

Current ISL champions Mohun Bagan SG, meanwhile, rallied to beat Bangaldesh’s Abahani Dhaka in the AFC Cup playoff after getting the better of Nepal side Machhindra in the preliminary stage and won a record 17th Durand Cup title beating arch-rivals East Bengal in the final two weeks ago.

Aware of the investment done by the club management to build a strong squad this season, OFC coach Lobera said at the pre-match press conference in Bhubaneswar on Monday, “Not only are we playing a competition for the club, we will be representing India at the AFC level. It’s a new challenge for us and we are ready. We had a good pre-season, so we are well prepared. We all are excited to play in the competition. We need to enjoy the game.”

Diego Mauricio, Ahmed Jahouh, Mourtada Fall and Roy Krishna all are tried and tested foreigners in ISL at Lobera’s disposal while CY Goddard has also joined the squad on Saturday. However, there’s a question mark on Goddard’s availability for Tuesday’s match. “CY will be available. But the reality is that I have to check in what state the player has arrived, and he will only be available after two days of training. Difficult!”

For the green-and-maroon brigade, all eyes will be on Qatar World Cupper Jason Cummings from Australia while Hugo Boumous, Anwar Ali, Anirudh Thapa are likely to play crucial roles against the Kalinga Warriors. And Mariners’ coach Juan Ferrando is not taking his opponents lightly.

“For us, this is an important match as it is for Odisha. We have worked hard in preparation for this because it’ll be very difficult. They have a very good squad with very good players. It’s necessary for us to focus throughout the 90 minutes because if we lapse in one moment or in one detail, then Odisha can create a lot of opportunities,” said the gaffer.

Voicing his displeasure at losing defender Ashique Kuruniyan for the entire season due to his knee injury during India’s King’s Cup campaign, the Spaniard said: “We are very disappointed to miss him for the rest of the season but it’s a part of football. We have a very good squad with very good players. I’m happy, because sometimes it’s difficult to find 2-3 players in the same position with good enough performance levels.”

Bagan captain Subhasish Bose, meanwhile, is a doubtful starter for the game with a left ankle injury suffered during Saturday’s practice session.

With the group also involving Bangaldesh’s Basundhara Kings and Maziya Sports & Recreation Club from Maldives and only one team set to advance to the next stage it will be crucial to have a good start to the sojourn and anything less than a win could prove detrimental to both club’s AFC Cup ambitions.

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