Kolkata : Mohun Bagan packed punch for a 3-1 rout of Singaporean heavyweights Tampines Rovers to become the first Indian team to win a match in the AFC Champions League qualifier at the Vivekananda Yuva Bharati Krirangan here today.
Jeje Lalpekhula (fifth) and Cornell Glen (41st) gave Mohun Bagan a solid 2-0 lead before Tampines Rovers pulled one back two minutes laterthrough Yasir Hanapi’s header from a freekick.
The Singapore League runners-up started strongly in the second-half but before they could bring on the equaliser and take the match to extra time Mohun Bagan’s Japanese recruit Katsumi Yusa confirmed their tickets to China with his 83rd minute strike from Sony Norde’s corner.
Mohun Bagan’s Haitian recruit Norde made the difference on a day Cornell Glen had a miserable run that included missing a penalty.
Norde set up both Jeje and Katsumi as the I-League champions today created history by becoming the first team to win a match in the ACL.
Previously, Dempo (2009, 2011), Churchill Brothers (2010), Pune FC (2014) and Bengaluru FC (2015) made exits in the first qualifying rounds previously.
Mohun Bagan now will travel to Chinese city Jinan to clash against Shandong Luneng FC in the Preliminary Stage 2 February 2.
Shandong Luneng FC are placed third in the Chinese Super League as it will be a real challenge to play in Jinan where the temperature is sub-zero.
Four teams will make the cut from Preliminary Stage 2 to the East Zone play-off.
16 teams in two groups of East and West will lock horns in the Playoff Stage to determine the eight qualifiers for the Group Stage.
This is also Mohun Bagan’s first win against the Singaporean oufit against whom they drew at home and lost away in the AFC Cup in 2007.
East Bengal had defeated Tampines Rovers in both their legs — 2-1 at home and 4-2 in Singapore — in the 2013 AFC Cup.
Sanjoy Sen chose to start with the in-form India forward Jeje and his spirited runs combined with Cornell Glen and Sony Norde’s pace unsettled ‘The Stags’ defence early on.
The Mizoram forward, who was benched in their 1-1 draw in the I-League derby versus East Bengal, handed Mohun Bagan an early lead putting the ball to the far post in what was a resultant of a brilliant move from Norde.
The Haitian cleverly tackled the Singaporean outfit’s South Korean recruit Kwon Jun from the left before giving a backpass to Dhanachandra who crossed it to Jeje for their rousing start in front of a sparse crowd in the gigantic stadium.
What followed was a sheer dominance from Mohun Bagan as Norde toyed with ‘The Stags’ defence and their attack looked to double the lead at any moment.
But Mohun Bagan not only went on to miss a penalty but at least a couple of golden opportunities went abegging as they held their slender lead before Glen made it 2-0.
It was Norde who missed a long ranger in the 21st minute before Glen let the team down six minutes later after being set up brilliantly by Katsumi from the right.
With Tampines Rovers defender fumbling Yusa’s cross was neatly received by the Trinidadian who found himself in a one on one but only to shoot it over the bar with his powerful shot.
Continuing his miserable run, Glen missed to convert from the spot as he shot straight into the hands of Tampines Rovers goalkeeper Izwan Mahbud in the 34th minute.
Moments later Jeje fumbled to bring up his second after being set up by Norde as Mohun Bagan struggled to convert their chances till a defensive lapse from the Singaporeans proved costly.
Norde was once again instrumental in bringing up a second goal when he dribbled past the Tampines Rovers defenders while the goalkeeper lost control as Glen this time found his act right just in front of the goalline with his tap-in.
But their 2-0 cushion was shortlived as a minute later Kingshuk Debnath conceded a freekick bringing down Hafiz just on the edge of the box as an unmarked Hanipi pulled one back just before the break.
The Stags playing with the lone forward in the S-League top scorer Nawaz looked to bounce back after the changeover as they had more setpiece movements but an equaliser continued to elude them.
Three minutes into the second half, the visitors almost brought on the 2-2 equaliser when Fazrul found the back of the net but only to be ruled off side as ‘The Stags’ gradually started to find their feet building pressure on the I-League champions.
Nawaz missed a freeheader after Mohun Bagan defender Luciano Sabrosa failed to control the ball as it was a see-saw contest in the second-half with Mohun Bagan surviving a few scares.
But before the ‘mighty’ Stags could force in an equaliser, Mohun Bagan’s Japanese recruit sealed their win with his powerful rightfooter after being set up by substitue Prabir Das’s header from a Norde corner kick.