Bangladesh champions Bashundhara Kings stayed in the Group D title race of the AFC Cup Football 2022 eliminating Indian I-League champions Gokulam Karela FC by 2-1 goals in their 3rd and last group match at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata on Tuesday With the day's well merited victory, last two times BPL champions Bashundhara Kings took lead in Group D table securing six points from all the three group matches, despite they conceded a humiliating 0-4 goals defeat against Kolkata giant Mohun Bagan last match. Also read:AFC Cup Football: Liston Colaco's hat-trick guides Mohun Bagan to crush Bashundhara Kings 4-0 However, the Kings have to wait for the result of remaining Group D match between ATK Mohun Bagan of Kolkata and Maziya S&RC of the Maldives,scheduled for tonight (Tuesday night) Bashundhara Kings will emerge group champions to reach inter-zone play-off semifinals of the AFC Cup if the Mohun Bagan-Maziya match ended in draw, as both the teams bagged three points each from two matches. A win against Maziya will through Mohun Bagan into the next round (Inter zone semifinals) of the Asia Cup. Gokulam Kerala FC made a good start in the ongoing AFC Cup stunning Kolkata giant ATK Mohun Bagan by 4-2 goals in the opening match. But they were eliminated from the cup after suffering two successive defeats against Maziya (0-1) snd the Kings. Kings won the day's match as the better side after.dominating the match all through against the I-League champions. In the day's vital match, captain cum Brazilian striker Robson Robinho put the Bashundhara Kings ahead in the 36th minute by a good shot after dodging past two opponent defenders (1-0). Also read:AFC Cup: Bashundhara beat Maldives' Maziya 1-0 to get off to winning start Gambian striker Nuha Marong, who scored the match-winner against Maziya S&RC in the first match, doubled the Kings margin in the 54th minute by a cool header from close, utilizing a pass from day's play maker Ronson Robinho (2-0). Jamaican footballer Jourdaine Fletcher reduced the Gokulam Karela margin in the 75th minute by a powerful straight shot from the danger zone (2-1). Although the Bashundhara Kings made a good start in their 2nd AFC Cup Football beating Maziya S&RC of the Maldives 1-0 last Wednesday, but they went down in the race after suffering a 0-4 defeat against ATK Mohun Bagan last Saturday. Indian professional footballer Liston Colaco scored a hattrick for Mohun Bagan scoring three goals in a row while substitute booter David Williams of Australia scored  the 4th goal for Mohun Bagan against the Kings.

A brilliant hat-trick by Liston Colaco guided Kolkata Mohun Bagan to crush Bangladesh champions Bashundhara Kings by 4-0 goals in their 2nd Group D match of the AFC Cup Football' 2022 at water-soaked Yuba Bharati Krirangan (Salt Lake Stadium) in Kolkata on Saturday. Earlier, the match was suspended after 11 minutes of the play due to heavy rains and strong winds. The match official and referee inspected the ground twice and the match resumed after about 52 minutes. In their last meeting in the AFC Cup in Male last year, Bashundhara Kings played 1-1 draw with Kolkata Mohun Bagan Club. Also read: AFC Cup: Bashundhara beat Maldives' Maziya 1-0 to get off to winning start In the day's match, Indian professional footballer Liston Colaco from Goa, scored make a hat-trick for ATK Mohun Bagan scoring three goals in a row --first two goals in span of only eight minutes of the first half and the 3rd goal in the 53rd minute, astonishing the Bangladesh champions. Liston Colaco put Mohun Bagan FC ahead in the 25th minute by a straight placing shot utilizing a lapse of over advancing Kings defender Bishwanath Ghosh (1-0). He doubled the Mohun Bagan margin in the 34th minute sending ball to open net after dodging past helpless Kings custodian Zico and defender Tariq Kazi, who try to make an off side trap (2-0). Kolaco completed the hat-trick in the 53rd minute by a left footer from danger zone (3-0). Australian booter David Williams sealed the fate of the scoring the 4th goal in the 77th minute, also by quick shot from danger zone (4-0). In the first half, Bashundhara Kings came close to score twice in the 18th and 20th minutes, but after conceding two quick goals they never back in the match. ,A brilliant free kick of Kings Brazilian booter Robson Rahinho returned to play after hitting the side bar in the 18th minute while another long range shot of Rimon Hossain brilliantly saved by opponent goalie in the 20th minute. Also read: AFC Cup: Bashundhara Kings to play Maziya S&RC of Maldives on Wednesday Earlier, Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) champions Bashundhara Kings made a good start in Group D of the AFC Cup Football' 2022 beating Maldives champions Maziya S&RC by 1-0 goal scored by Nuha Marong at floodlight Yuba Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata Wednesday night. But,  Kolkata giant Mohum Bagan Cub made a frustrating start in the AFC Cup after suffering 2-4 goal defeat against I-League champions Gokulam Kerala FC at the same venue Wednesday afternoon. ATK Mohun Bagan of Kolkata earlier qualified for the group stage of the AFC Cup eliminating another Bangladesh giant Dhaka Abahani Limited by 3-1 goal in a play-off match in Kolkata on April 19 last.. Last two times BPL champions Bashundhara Kings will face I-League Gokulam Kerala FC while Kolkata Mohun Bagan will play Maziya S&RC of the Maldives on May 24 in their remaining group matches.

Asia’s second-tier club football tournament AFC Cup 2020 has been cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic, the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) announced in a statement on Thursday.   In view of the logistics in coordinating the five zones of the AFC Cup and completing the Inter Zone matches, the AFC Executive Committee agreed that the pandemic created complexities which constituted a force majeure event and led to the cancellation of the 2020 competition, the AFC said.   The AFC Cup had been suspended earlier in March due to coronavirus outbreak and was rescheduled to resume this month in centralised venues.

Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football champions Bashundhara Kings crushed TC Sports Club of Maldives by 5-1 goals in their AFC Cup Football debut on Wednesday.

Last years’ BPL Football champions Bashundhara Kings will make their debut in the AFC Cup Football taking on TC Sports Club of the Maldives at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Wednesday.

The Argentine forward of Bashundhara Kings Hernan Barcos arrived in the capital on Wednesday morning to play for the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football champions in the ensuing league and AFC Cup Football.

Hosts Dhaka Abahani Limited will face touring Maziya Sports & Recreation Club of the Maldives in the first leg-play-off match of the AFC Cup Football on Wednesday (February 5) at 5 pm at Bangabandhu National Stadium here.

A 32-member Maziya Sports and Recreation Club of the Maldives will arrive in the capital on Sunday afternoon to compete in the play-off match of the AFC Cup Football against Dhaka Abahani Limited.