The conditions in the Maldives national football stadium are terrible, and it will surely be survival of the fittest as the minute passes. On Saturday, ATK Mohun Bagan came from behind to defeat Maziya S&RC 3-1 at the Maldives national football stadium in Male in the 2021 AFC Cup Group D match.
In the first half, Aisam Ibrahim (24th minute) broke the deadlock for the home team. Liston Colaco (48′), Roy Krishna (64′), and Manvir Singh (77′) scored three goals in the second half to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead. Hugo Boumous, a substitute, had two assists in the Mariners’ victory.
Match Highlights
ATKMB has stated its aims from the beginning. In the opponent’s half, direct, offensive play is encouraged. Maziya is a little jittery and hasn’t quite gotten its stride. Maziya is gradually gaining a foothold in the game, interrogating ATKMB’s backline. Maziya appears to have borrowed a page from ATKMB’s book. It is soaking up the pressure and attempting to hit Kolkata on the counter-attack.
Maziya, on the other hand, won the ball after ATK took the free-kick and tried for a counter-attack. Stewart sent a beautiful cross, which Ibrahim knocked in to put Maziya ahead. Maziya 1-0 ATK was the final score.
The burning heat is seen on the faces of the athletes on the field, indicating challenging conditions. Liston is a high-energy person, but his gaming is immature, as he tries to do too much on his own and gets stuck in traffic. Maziya’s backline made a hasty decision on the left flank, seizing a loose ball and firing a low-piercing cross into the box. Mirzokhid keeps his cool and grabs the ball to relieve the pressure.
Come on, Ashutosh Mehta, and make a difference! He scores the equalizer with a wonderful cross from the right side, which Colaco meets with a free header. After being set up by Hugo Boumous, Liston Colaco gets one-on-one with the goalie within the box, but his shot is stopped off the goalkeeper’s foot, falling in space for Roy Krishna outside the box. The star forward then knocks the ball into the back of the net with ease.
Hugo Boumous strikes again with a wonderful through pass that splits the defense and finds Manvir Singh on the run down the right-wing, where the forward scores in the far corner. Roy Krishna gets replaced by youngster Abhishek Dhananjay in a late substitute for ATK Mohun Bagan. The referee blows the final whistle before the debuting youngster has much time!
The Aftermath of the Match
After a poor first half, ATK Mohun Bagan improved their game in the second half to defeat Maziya S&RC. Antonio Habas’ clever changes made it possible, with Ashutosh Mehta and Hugo Boumous playing key roles in all three goals. Boumous, in particular, was the star of the show from the minute he entered the game, demonstrating why the Mariners paid such a high price for him. ATKMB’s defending was poor throughout the game, and Habas will look to improve this to beat Basudhara Kings.
Maziya will face Bengaluru FC, even though both teams are currently out of contention. In the final match of Group D, ATK Mohun Bagan will face Bashundhara Kings to determine who would advance from the group.
