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Mohun Bagan Super Giants faced an unexpected loss
Mohun Bagan Super Giants faced an unexpected 0-1 loss to Ahal FC from Turkmenistan in their initial Group C match of the AFC Champions League 2 for the 2025-26 season. Ahal FC was widely regarded as the least competitive team in Group C. This match took place at Mohun Bagan’s home venue, Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata. However, Mohun Bagan failed to secure the victory they were expected to achieve, losing 0-1. The decisive goal was scored by Ahal FC’s Enwer Annayev in the 83rd minute.
Mohun Bagan needed to win this match
Mohun Bagan needed this win dearly, especially with tougher opponents like Iran’s Sepahan SC and Jordan’s Al-Hussein SC lined up for their next matches in the AFC Champions League 2 group stage. They also have a return fixture against Ahal FC scheduled to be played in Turkmenistan, complicating their situation further. The schedule for the remaining five matches of Mohun Bagan’s group stage in the Champions League Two is provided at the conclusion of this video.
Only three foreign players in the starting lineup
Despite extensive preparation, Mohun Bagan appeared unready for this match, showing a significant lack of sharpness in their attack. Aside from a shot from Jamie Maclaren, they struggled to create any substantial scoring opportunities. Interestingly, coach Jose Molina started only three foreign players in the starting lineup, leaving significant foreign talents on the bench. This decision naturally raised doubts, with uncertainty remaining over whether it stemmed from overconfidence or if the other foreign players lacked the fitness to participate fully. Ahal FC displayed impressive organization during the match, with commendable coordination among their defense, midfield, and forward lines. Although opportunities were limited for both sides, there were moments when each team had scoring chances. While there isn’t much left to analyze about the game, let’s highlight some key moments.
Highlights from the Mohun Bagan versus Ahal FC match
In the 32nd minute of the first half, Ahal FC’s Elman Tagayew had a deflected shot that struck the crossbar. In the 37th minute, Mohun Bagan’s Jason Cummings had a chance, but his attempt from inside the box went well over the target. Although the first half ended without any goals, Ahal FC looked slightly stronger overall.
In the second half, Mohun Bagan made substitutions, bringing Jamie Maclaren and Anirudh Thapa onto the field in the 58th minute. Following these changes, Mohun Bagan’s performance improved notably. Their best chance came in the 69th minute when Jamie Maclaren received the ball in the box, but his shot was expertly saved by Ahal FC goalkeeper Kakageldi Berdiyev. Subsequently, Mohun Bagan introduced Robson Robinho and Subhasish Bose as substitutes in the 73rd minute. In the 80th minute, Ahal FC’s Mirzoyev had a header that was brilliantly stopped by Mohun Bagan goalkeeper Vishal Kaith.
In the 81st minute, Robson Robinho sent a long ball to Sahal Abdul Samad, whose first touch was promising but failed to find the target with his subsequent shot. The crucial moment came in the 83rd minute when Mohun Bagan conceded a goal, with Enwer Annayev finding the net with a powerful left-foot strike from inside the area. Even after the setback, Mohun Bagan was unable to mount a significant attack. Despite being viewed as the favorite until the end, Mohun Bagan succumbed to a 0-1 defeat against Ahal FC.
In this match, the statistics of Mohun Bagan are not worth mentioning. Mohun Bagan managed to land just one shot on target throughout the match, while Ahal FC had five shots on target. Ahal FC also dominated in terms of ball possession during this game. Mohun Bagan held forty-two percent of possession, whereas Ahal FC had fifty-eight percent.
In any game, there is a win or a loss. With just one match played in the group stage and five more to go, there is still an opportunity to advance to the next round if Mohun Bagan performs well in the upcoming matches. Below is the schedule for the remaining matches of Mohun Bagan in the group stage of the AFC Champions League 2 for the 2025-26 season.
Schedule for the remaining matches
| Matchday | Date | Fixture | Venue | Status |
| 1 | September 16, 2025 | Mohun Bagan SG vs Ahal FC | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata | Completed |
| 2 | September 30, 2025 | Sepahan SC vs Mohun Bagan SG | Naghsh-e-Jahan Stadium, Isfahan, Iran | |
| 3 | October 21, 2025 | Al-Hussein vs Mohun Bagan SG | Amman International Stadium, Jordan | |
| 4 | November 4, 2025 | Mohun Bagan SG vs Al-Hussein | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata | |
| 5 | November 25, 2025 | Ahal FC vs Mohun Bagan SG | Arkadag Stadium, Turkmenistan | |
| 6 | December 23, 2025 | Mohun Bagan SG vs Sepahan SC | Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata |
It is hoped that Mohun Bagan can stage a strong recovery in the upcoming group stage matches by addressing the mistakes from this match.
I have uploaded a video on YouTube in Bengali related to the topic discussed in this blog, and you can find the link to that video here: