Thu, 28 Oct, 2021
Guwahati: Jeje Lalpekhlua and Cornell Glen each netted a brace as I-League champions Mohun Bagan ended their run of six consecutive AFC Cup losses in emphatic fashion with a 5-2 win over visitors Maziya Sport & Recreation Club in their Group G opener on Wednesday.
Haitian midfielder Sony Norde opened the scoring for the hosts on 19 minutes before further goals from Lalpekhlua and Cornell Glen gave Mohun Bagan a comfortable 3-0 lead at half-time.
Ahmed Imaaz cut the deficit to two when he netted for Maziya just after the hour-mark but Lalpeklua’s and Glen’s second goals of the game put Mohun Bagan out of sight at 5-1, although Raju Gaikwad’s own goal did lessen the margin of victory.
Mohun Bagan, who lost all six games in their last appearance in the AFC Cup in 2009, now top the Group G standings, with Yangon United in second place after the Myanmar National League champions claimed a 2-1 victory over Hong Kong’s South China in the day’s earlier tie.
“I am happy with how my boys played and I can also say that I am satisfied with the result,” said Mohun Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen.
“I am really happy to see Jeje’s consistency and that he is among the goals. That gives a striker so much confidence and I always knew Glen would overcome his goal drought.
“I had full confidence in him and I knew it was only a matter of time.”
In their last appearance at the AFC Cup in 2009, Mohun Bagan lost all six group stage ties but they got off to a stunning start at Indira Gandhi Stadium when Norde curled home a fabulous 30-yard free-kick into the top left-hand corner.
Lalpeklua then fired home from just inside the penalty area on 33 minutes after Norde’s cross and just two minutes later Trinidad & Tobago international striker Glen was played into the area by Pronoy Halder and the 35-year-old needed no second invitation before powering the ball into the Maziya net.
After half-time, Maziya got one goal back through Imaaz who found himself unmarked down the left and poked the ball home following an Ismail Easa cross in the 61st minute to make the score 3-1.
Eight minutes later, though, Lalpeklua got his name on the scoresheet for the second time when substitute Kean Lewis found him in the box and the Mohun Bagan star smashed it from close range into the top corner.
And Lewis was again the provider for the hosts’ fifth and final goal on 71 minutes as he again burst into the box before passing it to Glen who controlled it with his chest and then smashed it past a Imran.
Maziya did reduce the deficit with 14 minutes remaining following a cross from the right by Hussain Niyaz who had just been introduced, which was put into his own net by Gaikwad.
“I think Mohun Bagan were the better team today and we could not find our rhythm,” said Maziya coach Ali Suzain.
“Mohun Bagan were more compact than us. Our defence was not up to the mark and we failed to create chances forward too.”
Photo: Lagardère Sports