Kolkata, April 5:Â Kolkata, April 5: Reigning Bangladesh Premier League champions, Dhaka Abahani was defeated by West Bengal’s Mohun Bagan 3-1 after taking an early lead in a Group E encounter on Tuesday of the AFC Cup.
Mohun Bagan registered their first win in the tournament while Abahani registered its second loss, having already lost to Marziya of Maldives.
Welsh midfielder Jonathan Brown of Abahani scored at the 21st minute to take an early lead by turning home Nabib Newaj Jibon’s neat cutback.
Shortly before the break, Mohun Bagan tied the score with a goal by Jeje Lalpekhlua, seizing upon Sony Norde’s knockdown to fire low into the net.
They were at it right after half time when Mohun Bagan was given the lead by Balwant Singh as he converted Japanese playmaker Yusa Katsumi’s fine pass.
The game would ended with a 2-1 scoreline if had Norde not decided to show off his flair that converted into a goal during the dying moments of the match.
The AFC tournament includes 36 clubs divided into 9 groups, each with 4 teams.
The teams have been divided into 5 zones: West, Central, South, East and ASEAN.
Among the 9 groups, 6 are from West and ASEAN zone combined and the other three zones have one group each.
Dhaka Abahani Limited have been included in Group E of South Asia Zone where it faces Bengaluru FC (India), Mohun Bagan AC (India) and Maziya Sports (Maldives).
In the group phase, each team will play every other team in home and away basis in league format.
At the end of the group phase, the 'group champion' team will compete in the inter-zonal semi-final.
Abahanis next match in the tournament will be against Bengaluru on April 18.
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