A brilliant hattrick by Australian booter David Williams guided Kolkata Mohun Bagan to qualify for group stage of the AFC Cup' 2022 eliminating Dhaka Abahani by 3-1 goals in the final play-off match the Yuvo Bharati (Salt Lake) Stadium in Kolkata on Tuesday. With the day's feat, ATK Mohun Bagan earned rights to play in the Group D of the AFC Cup main competition alongwith Gokulam Kerala FC (India), Bashundhara Kings (Bangladesh) and Maziya Sports and Recreation Club (Maldives).  It was the 2nd victory for traditional Kolkata giants Mohun Bagan against Dhaka Abahani in 3 meetings  since 2017. Dhaka Abahani also conceded 1-3 goals defeat against Kolkata Mohun Bagan in their away match of the AFC Cup Football in Kolkata in 2017 while their home match against the Mohun Bagan ended in a 1-1 draw in Dhaka in the same year. In the day's match, striker David Williams made a hattrick  scoring three goals in the 6th, 30th and 85th minutes while Russian World Cup playing Costa Rica booter Daniel Colindres netted the face saving goal for six times Bangladesh Premier League champions Dhaka Abahani Limited in the 61st minute. Earlier. the popular sky-blue Dhanmondi outfit Dhaka Abahani got walkover against Club Valencia of the Maldives in their first play-off match of the AFC Cup with the latter withdrawing the team in the last minute due to funds crisis. On other hand, Mohun Bagan cruised past Sri Lanka's, Blue Star 5-0 in the second preliminary round of the 2022 AFC Cup last Tuesday with the Mariners thrashing their opponents courtesy of braces from Joni Kauko, Manvir Singh and a goal from David Williams.

Bangladesh champions Bashundhara Kings will play Indian champions ATK Mohun Bagan FC in a 'do or die' Group D match of the AFC Cup Football'2021at the National Football Stadium in the Maldives capital Male on Tuesday. BPL champions Bashundhara Kings, which bagged four points from two matches with a win and a draw, will meet the oppoents at 5 pm (BST) in a must-win situation to clinch group D title. The Kings need to win to qualify for the Inter-Zonal Semifinal as 2nd Bangladesh team after Dhaka Abahani in 2019. READ: 2021 SAFF Championship: Bangladesh Seek First Title Since 2003 But the Indian Super League champions are in the upper hand securing full six points from straight two wins and need just a draw to assure their inter zonal semifinal berth. Though it will be tough match, the Kings can still win on Tuesday. For the Bangladesh champions, it will be Brazilian forward Robson Robinho who scored against Maziya S&RC in the first match, their main source of inspiration in the attack alongside Raul Becerra of Argentina.   Big budgeted Bashundhara Kings, which clinched the Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) crown recently with four matches to spare, is the only group D team of the AFC Cup which did not concede any goal in two matches and remained unbeaten.   Bashundhara Kings made a good start in their first AFC Cup campaign outplaying Maldivian side TC Sports Club by 5-1 goals in Dhaka in the last year's cancelled tournament, also a made a good start in this year’s AFC Cup, beating Maldives champions Maziya Sports & Recreation Club by 2-0 goals last Wednesday (Aug 18). Kings maintained their unbeaten run in the group D like Kolkata Mohun Bagan FC after playing goalless draw with another Indian side Bengaluru FC, led by Indian captain Sunil Chhatri.  Mohun Bagan FC earned hundred percent success in the ongoing meet beating Bengaluru FC 2-0 in the first match and also outplayed Maziya S&RC by 3-1 goals in the 2nd match. Marco Pezzaiuoli's Bengaluru FC ( one point) and Maldivian Maziya S&RC (zero) were already eliminated from the meet and will meet each in the last group D match on Tuesday  (Aug 24) at 10 pm (BST) at the same venue. Ahead of the Tuesday's match, Kings Spanish coach Oscar Bruzon said, "We are still in the race and have another opportunity to reach the next round. We want to utilize this big opportunity". READ: Bangladesh Women's Football Team to Play 2022 Asian Cup Qualifiers in September ATK Mohun Bagan head coach Antonio Lopez said," We have six points, and no other team has that. We have the possibility to draw, but we don’t have to think that way, only possibility for us is to try to win, and this will be our target for the next match.”

Indian league champions ATK Mohun Bagan of Kolkata made a flying start to the AFC Cup 2021, beating Bengaluru FC 2-0 in the opening match of Group D at the National Football Stadium in the Maldives' capital Male Wednesday. Bangladesh Premier League champions Bashundhara Kings will start their Group D campaign of the AFC Cup Football tonight, with the match against the Maldives' Maziya Sports and Recreation Club. The match will kick-off at 10pm Bangladesh time at the National Football Stadium in Male. READ: BPL Football:Dhaka Abahani crush Sheikh  Russel 5-1 In Wednesday's first match, Roy Krishna put Mohun Bagan Club ahead in the 39th minute (1-0). French-Moroccan midfielder Subhasish Bose struck again for Mohun Bagan at the start of the second half (46th minute). Mohun Bagan earned a direct berth in the group stage of the second-tier Asian club competition as the 2019-20 I-League champions.  READ: AFC Cup: Bashundhara Kings to start campaign taking on Maziya S&RC Wednesday Bengaluru FC beat the Maldives' Club Eagles 1-0 in the 2021 AFC Cup play-off Sunday to join Mohun Bagan (India), Bashundhara Kings (Bangladesh) and Maziya (Maldives) in Group D.