Bangladesh champions Bashundhara Kings started the Group D campaign of the AFC Cup 2021 in style beating Maldivian champions Maziya Sports & Recreation Club 2-0 goals at the National Football Stadium in Male Wednesday night.   With the day's feat, Badhindhara Kings showed  their talent and intent in the AFC Cup with their first-ever victory on foreign soil.   Read:BPL Football:Dhaka Abahani crush Sheikh Russel 5-1   Earlier, Bashundhara Kings also made a good start in their first AFC Cup  outplaying another Maldivian side TC Sports Club by 5-1 goals in last year's cancelled tournament , featuring gout goals by former Argentina international Hernan Barcos.   In the day's match, the fresh BPL champions Kings took lead in the 25th minute by a gifted goal as Mohamed Irufaan of Maziya SRC sent the ball to his own net (1-0).   Brazilian forward Robson Robinho doubled the Kings margin in the 40th minute by a close range  angular shot that kissed the Maziya net near the first bar (2-0).   The Kings will play their 2nd group match on August 21 at 5: pm (BST) at the same venue against JSW Bengaluru FC of India, which eliminated  Club Eagles of the Maldives by 1-0 goal in a play-off match in Male last Sunday (August 15)   In their last Group D match, Bashundhara Kings will encounter Kolkata giant traditional ATK Mohun Bagan FC on August 24, also at 5: pm (BST) at the National Stadium in Male.   In the remaining group D matches, Mohun Bagan will face Mazia S&RC on August 21 at 10 pm (BST) while Bengaluru FC will meet Mazia S&RC on August 24 at 10:pm (BST), all at the National Stadium in Male.   Read:AFC Cup: Bashundhara Kings to start campaign taking on Maziya S&RC Wednesday   Earlier,  Indian league champions ATK Mohun Bagan of Kolkata made a flying start in the four-team Group D of the AFC Cup'2021 beating Bengaluru FC by 2-0 goals in the opening match at the National Football Stadium in the Maldives capital Male on Wednesday afternoon.   In the day's all Indian affairs, Roy Krishna put Mohun Bagan Club ahead in the 39th minute from a close header, utilizing a goal bound flag kick of  French- Morrocan booter Hugo Boumous (1-0) .   Midfielder Subhasish Bose extended the Mohun Bagan lead within thirty seconds of the start of second half (46th minute) helping Mariners to take a comfortable 2-0 lead over the Sunil Chhetri's Blues .

Bashundhara Kings will start their AFC Cup Football 2021 Group D campaign with the match against Maziya Sports & Recreation Club of the Maldives on August 18 at the National Football Stadium in Male. The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has announced the new fixture of AFC Cup Group D Thursday. The Kings will play their second match on August 21 at the same venue against the winners of the Bengaluru FC and Club Eagles match. Read: Lockdown forces Abahani to concede AFC Cup spot India's Bengaluru FC and the Maldives's Club Eagles will lock horns with each other in a play-off match on August 15. In their last Group D match, Bashundhara Kings will face Kolkata giant Mohun Bagan FC on August 24 at the National Stadium in Male. Read: AFC Cup Football cancelled for Covid-19 Earlier, the Group D matches of the AFC Cup, which was postponed last May and was rescheduled to July 6 from June 30. Once again, the matches were put off until August as Bashundhara requested the organisers to defer the dates, showing its domestic league schedule.

Dhaka Abahani conceded two away goals but managed to equalize twice against Maziya Sports & Recreation Club of the Maldives as the first-leg match of the AFC Cup Preliminaries at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Wednesday ended in a draw.