Kathmandu: A Division club Machindra FC will play against Indian Super League (ISL) club Mohun Bagan Super Giants on Wednesday in the second match of the preliminary round of the AFC Cup qualifiers.
The match will start at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata at 7:30 PM Nepali time. After defeating Bhutanese club Paro FC at home in the preliminary round, Machindra is aiming to reach the playoffs by defeating Mohun Bagan.
The team that wins this match will play a play-off against either Bangladesh’s Dhaka Awami or Maldives’ Club Eagle. The winner of the play-off will qualify for the AFC Cup from the South Asian Zone.
Since Manang Marsyangdi Club played AFC Club, no other club has been able to reach the group stage of the AFC Cup.
Earlier, Tribhuvan Army and Machindra played in the preliminary stage in the last two editions but could not reach the group stage.
For the first time, Machindra, who reached the second stage after winning the first match of the preliminary stage, got the strong Indian team Mohun Bagan as a rival.
Machindra’s captain and goalkeeper Vishal Shrestha said that they will enter the field with the goal of winning against Mohun Bagan. “We had the opportunity to come here for two days and train. There is high humidity. Overall good preparation. We will play for victory,” Vishal told Online Khabar from Kolkata.
Forward Mesuke Olomou, who was not in Machindra’s squad for the match against Dashrath Rangashalam Paro FC on August 8, has been added to the squad for the match against Mohun Bagan.
Vishal said that the team has become stronger with his arrival, “Now Mesuke has been added. It has made the team even stronger.
Vishal said that the match against Mohun Bagan will be like a match between Nepal and India.
“It will be more like Nepal versus India than a club game”, he said, “We will try to win by playing well.”
Machindra brought in 8 players from other A Division clubs in a weak position for the AFC Cup. The effect of which was also seen in the first match against Paro.
Bimal Gharti Magar, Ayush Ghalan and Afiz Olawale scored for Machindra when they beat Paro 3-2.
Machindra’s forward and defense line looked good. Machindra’s head coach Kishore KC also said in the pre-match conference that the defense is good and they will play for victory.
“We have come here with good preparation and we will play for victory”, said coach Kishore KC, “We want to strengthen the defense and create some opportunities to score for victory”, KC said in the prematch conference.
Captain Vishal also said in the pre-match conference that even though Mohun Bagan is a strong team, they will fight for victory.
“Mohun Bagan is a very good team and as the coach said, our defense is strong and we will work hard to win,” he said.
Karim Omalaja, Devendra Tamang, Chiring Gurung and Sanis Shrestha will be in the Fiefens line in front of goalkeeper Vishal.
Coach KC has said that since Mohun Bagan’s attack is good, they will strengthen their defense. Bagan also has players like Jason Cummings from Australia and Armando Sadiku from Albania. Indian national team members Anirudh Thapa, Sahl Abdul Samad have also been signed to Mohun Bagan this season.
Machindra’s team includes Meshuke along with Bimal, Ayush and Olawale who scored in the first match. In the midfield will be Eric Bist and Utsav Rai along with Andre Nia. Ashish Chaudhary in the forward and Locken Limbu in the midfield are also options. Both of them played as substitutes against Paro.
Mohun Bagan coach Juwan Ferrando said that international matches are always difficult but they will play in such a way that they finish the match in 90 minutes.
International games are always difficult. Our opponents won the previous match 3-2 and showed that they are an aggressive and ambitious team. It will be a difficult game”, Ferrando said in the pre-match conference, “It will be important for us to play well in every game.
We have to focus on the next game and take one game at a time. We have to finish the game in 90 minutes, but international competition is not easy.
 club Mohun Bagan Super Giants on Wednesday){kind=link}