Mohun Bagan started their AFC Champions League Two campaign on a frustrating note, playing out a goalless draw against Tajikistan’s FC Ravshan at the Salt Lake Stadium here on Wednesday.
Despite better ball possession and the creation of a string of chances, the ISL Shield champions failed to break the deadlock, squandering several opportunities in front of their 18,908-strong home supporters.
‘Go Back Molina’ chants reverberated through the stands as the players made their way off the pitch and into the dugout.
The team’s recent performances under the Spanish coach have come under increasing scrutiny, with this latest disappointment following a string of poor results.
In their last two matches, Mohun Bagan squandered two-goal leads, including a heartbreaking loss to NorthEast United FC in the Durand Cup final — a first-ever triumph for their opponents.
The pressure is writ large on Molina as the team continues to struggle under his leadership.
The Mariners started on the front foot, controlling possession and pushing the Kulob-based side into a defensive shell.
However, their inability to convert possession into tangible opportunities quickly became the summary.
In the 19th minute, Dimitri Petratos had the best chance of the half, weaving past two defenders to create space for a shot, only for Ravshan’s backline to block his effort before it reached the goal.
Kaith brilliant again
Mohun Bagan’s first real scare came in the 28th minute when Kojo Matic sent a clever ball over the defence, allowing Muhammaddjon Rahimov a chance to shoot.
However, Bagan goalkeeper Vishal Kaith was alert, pulling off a crucial save to keep the score level.
Moments later, Mohun Bagan was lucky to escape further trouble when Dippendu Biswas committed a needless foul, handing Ravshan a free-kick.
Kholomurd Nazarov’s attempt went wide, but the warning signs were there for Juan Ferrando’s men.
Ashish Rai’s yellow card in the 29th minute for a reckless challenge summed up Bagan’s frustration.
Despite controlling much of the play, the Mariners ended the first half without registering a shot on target.
In the second half, Subhasish Bose had an opportunity from a set-piece, but the Ravshan defence averted the danger.
The defining moment came in the 76th minute when Jason Cummings found himself one-on-one with Ravshan goalkeeper Yevhen Hrytsenko but the Australian World Cupper made a mockery of it with a tame shot aimed straight at the keeper.
As time ticked away, the Mariners finally sparked into life with a flurry of chances.
In the 88th minute, Petratos thought he had broken the deadlock when he slotted the ball into the net after a pass from Greg Stewart.
However, the linesman raised the off-side flag, ruling the goal out to the dismay of the home supporters.
In the 90th minute, Petratos was involved again, this time going down in the box after receiving a through ball from Stewart, but the referee waved away penalty appeals.
Moments later, Liston Colaco had another golden chance after being played through by Stewart.
Colaco’s right-footed effort, however, curled wide of the target, summing up a frustrating evening for Mohun Bagan.
Ravshan qualified for the group stage as the runners-up of the 2023 Tajikistan Higher League. They have made four appearances in the AFC Cup before but are yet to advance past the group stage.
Formerly the AFC Cup, the ACL-II is Asia’s second-tier club football competition with a new format.
Teams are now split into two zones, East and West, instead of five, and 32 teams will compete in eight groups with a home-and-away format from September 17-December 5.
Mohun Bagan, who clinched the ISL 2023-24 Shield with a record 48 points to earn a direct spot, is in Group A alongside Al Wakrah SC, Tractor SC, and FC Ravshan.
The top two teams from each group will progress to the round of 16, with the final scheduled for May 17.
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