Internet Desk: Mohun Bagan bow out from AFC cup Round of 16 after losing to Tampines Rovers from Singapore 2-1 in the extra time. Jordan Webb (63′) of Tampines Rovers opened the scoring before Bikramjit Singh (72′) got the equaliser for the Mariners. At the end of regulation time, the match ended 1-1. The match was dragged into extra time where Afiq Yunos (117′) got the winning goal for the Singapore based side.
Katsumi Yusa missed out through injury, while Sanjoy Sen was also without Sony Norde who is away on international duty and Kean Lewis came in to replace the Haitian. Meanwhile, Jermaine Pennant started the for the visitors.
Bagan came close to breaking the deadlock ten minutes later. Jeje Lalpekhlua’s deft header at the near post from a corner-kick needed to be cleared off the line by Mukhtar. Fazaul Nawaz then missed a sitter in the 20th minute. Pennant went past Dhanachandra Singh with ease and cut the ball back perfectly for his teammate who blazed his finish over the bar. Cornell Glen went down clutching his hamstring in the 38th minute and was soon replaced by Subhash Singh leaving only Jeje on the pitch from Bagan’s first-choice front four. The scoreline showed 0-0 at the end of the first-half.
Eight minutes into the second half, Shakhir Hamza picked up his second yellow card of the game and Tampines were reduced to ten men. The first chance of the second period fell to the home side in the 56th minute. Subhash turned well on the edge of the area before beating three defenders and forcing a fine save from the goalkeeper.
Tampines Rovers broke the deadlock in the 63rd minute when Canadian Jordan Webb’s miscued cross caught Arnab Das in goal off guard and sailed directly into the back of the net. Five minutes later, Bagan nearly got back on level terms when Raju’s ball forwarded was headed by Dhanachandra only for the visiting goalkeeper to pull off an excellent save. The Tampines custodian was at it again two minutes later as Raju’s header was straight at him. Nevertheless, the Mariners did manage to restore parity through Bikramjit Singh in the 72nd minute. The midfielder pulled off a stunning strike from distance to make it 1-1 which remained the same at the end of regulation time and the game moved forward to extra time.
Bagan were dealt a blow when Bikramjit hobbled off with a hamstring injury in the 112th minute. With all of their substitutions used up, the Kolkatans were also reduced to ten men. Tampines seized the opportunity as they took the lead five minutes later. Pennant was influential again as his pass found the run of Afiq Yunos, who finished with aplomb. Pennant went on a solo run in stoppage time and tried to curl one into the far corner from the left but his effort went wide.
At the full-time whistle, Mohun Bagan were eliminated from the AFC Cup as a 1-2 win for Tampines Rovers saw the Singaporean side progress to the quarter-finals of the competition