AFC Cup News
Chhetri scored both his goals in the second half of the match as he netted the ball into the goalpost in the 79th and 92nd minutes. With this win, India has risen to the third spot in Group E with six points from seven games.
Bengaluru FC were scheduled to face local club Eagles FC in a playoff match after which the Group D matches were scheduled to start on May 14 with fellow Indian Super League (ISL) side ATK Mohun Bagan facing the winners of the playoff.
The competition, in which teams from more minor nations in Asia participate, had been suspended since March due to the novel coronavirus crisis.
The Asian football governing body said that it will closely monitor the situation before deciding when to recommence the 2020 AFC Cup season.
Abahani's Wellington Priori deflected into his own net in the 79th minute to the glee of the Chennaiyin supporters at the TransStadia Arena here.
Minerva are now at third spot in Group E with two points while Manang Marshyangdi are at the bottom after losing both their matches so far.
Minerva had earlier alleged that on the All India Football Federation's insistence, the Odisha government had withdrawn permission to use the stadium against Manang Marshyangdi Club of Nepal for the Group E match.
Indian Super League runners-up side Bengaluru FC bounced back from a goal down to outwit former I-League champions Aizawl FC 3-1 in an AFC Cup Group E clash at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here today.
Abahani almost equalised during the stoppage time when Saad Uddin's right-footed shot sailed over horizontal. Before that, Bangladeshi outfit made another foray into Bengaluru box in the 82nd minute through Saad, who freed Mohammed Mamun Miah only to find him squander it from close range.
India's Aizawl FC suffered a 1-3 drubbing at the hands of New Radiant in their maiden group stage AFC Cup match, with inspirational skipper Ali Ashfaq's hat-trick leading the Maldivian charge on Wednesday.
The other two other goals were scored by Erik Paartalu and Rahul Bheke in 36th and 90th minute.
Bengaluru FC have named a 30-man squad for the coming preliminary and playoff stages of 2018 AFC Cup.
Needing to overturn a 0-1 first leg defeat in their away match on September 27, Bengaluru conceded a goal as early as the fourth minute when the Tajikistan side scored through a penalty converted by Nuriddin Davronov.
The visiting side survived an incessant onslaught from FC Istiklol, the 2015 champions, but the home side's profligacy in front of goal saved Bengaluru from losing the match by a bigger margin.
Goals on either side of the break by skipper Sunil Chhetri (32nd minute, Penalty) and Udanta Singh (51st) put the Blues 2-0 up before Lenny Rodrigues joined the party with a goal in the 77th minute.
The Stephen Constantine-coached side won their first match against Myanmar 1-0 and are at top of the four-team group.
Chhetri drilled a lot shot with his right foot off a fine pass from Jeje Lalpekhlua in the 69th minute to lead India to a crucial win in the home leg tie of the Group A third round qualifiers of the 2019 Asian Cup.
Granting the AFC Cup play-off berth to ISL winners would mean that ISL would no longer be a private tournament but a recognised league under the aegis of the AIFF, AFC and FIFA.
During the course of this season, Bagan have faced Bengaluru FC five times with their last meeting during AFC Cup Group league fixture resulting in 3-1 win in favour of green and maroon brigade.
Mohun Bagan are already out of the tournament and they are now at third spot with six points.
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