AFC Cup 2021: How have Mohun Bagan performed in Asian club competitions?

ATK Mohun Bagan begin their AFC Cup 2021 campaign on Wednesday as they take on fellow Indian Super League (ISL) side Bengaluru in the first match of Group E in Maldives,

This will be the fourth time that the Mariners will be participating in AFC Cup. The last time they took part in the competition was back in 2017 where they were ousted from the group stage. Incidentally, Bengaluru FC was in the same group as Mohun Bagan and had qualified for the next round as group toppers.

The first time they played in an Asian competition was way back in 1987 when they took part in the Asian Club Competition which is now the AFC Champions League. The Green and Maroons have played in an Asian club competition on 10 occasions.

As Antonio Lopez Habas' men gear up to kick off their AFC Cup campaign, we take a look at the Kolkata giants' performances in Asia.

How has Mohun Bagan performed in Asian club competitions?

1987-88 Asian Cup Championship

Mohun Bagan made their Asian debut in 1987 when they took part in the qualifying stages of the Asian Club Championship. The Mariners were clubbed in Group 2 alongside Al Rasheed (Iraq), Mohammedan SC (Bangladesh), Manang Marsyangdi (Nepal) and PAF FC (Pakistan).

Bagan defeated Manang Marsyangdi and PAF FC and drew against Mohammedan. Their only defeat came against group toppers Al Rasheed. The Indian club was ousted from the group stage after finishing second.

1988-89 Asian Club Championship

In the 1988-89 edition, Mohun Bagan managed to go past the qualifying round beating Fanja (Oman), Crescent Textile (Pakistan) and Kathmandu SC (Nepal). The Mariners scored 13 goals and won all three matches to qualify for the next round.

In the semifinal group round, they were clubbed with Al Rasheed (Iraq), Guangdong Wanbao (China) and Kazma SC (Kuwait). The Indian club lost all three matches and were ousted from the competition.

Semifinal Group Round results

1994-85 Asian Club Championship

In this edition of the Asian Club Championship, Mohun Bagan were placed alongside New Radiant (Maldives) and Ratnam SC (Sri Lanka) in the South Asian qualifying preliminary round. The Mariners remained unbeaten in the group stages but got knocked out in the second round to Thai Farmers Bank FC.

They lost 4-0 in the first leg away from home. But due to a plague threat in India, AFC ordered that the return leg will be played in Malaysia. Bagan objected to the decision but the apex governing body in Asia was not convinced. Instead, the Indian club was ejected from the competition, fined $3000 and banned from AFC competitions for three years. The ban was later removed.

Preliminary round

Second round

1995-96 Asian Club Championship

In the very first round, Mohun Bagan were shown the door after they lost to Maldivian outfit Club Valencia. In the first leg, Bagan won 2-1 but went down narrowly by a goal away from home. Valencia progressed by virtue of the away goal.

1999-20 Asian Club Championship

Mohun Bagan defeated Muktijodha Sangsad 2-1 in aggregate in the first round but in the next round, they meekly surrendered to eventual runners-up of the competition Jubilo Iwata. In the first leg, the Japanese outfit won 8-0 and upon mutual agreement, the return leg was not played.

East Asia second round

2002-03 AFC Champions League

The Asian Club Championship was rechristened as the AFC Champions League in 2002-03. Mohun Bagan (National Football League and Federation Cup winners) and Churchill Brothers (National Football League runners up) were the two participants. But both the clubs were knocked out in the second round of qualification.

2007 AFC Cup

Mohun Bagan got the opportunity to play in the AFC Cup for the first time in their history. The Mariners finished their campaign on a disappointing note as they were ousted from the group stage after finishing second.

2009 AFC Cup

Mohun Bagan lost all six group games in the 2009 AFC Cup and were ousted from group stage.

2016 AFC Champions League/AFC Cup

Mohun Bagan progressed into Preliminary Round 2 in AFC Champions League after beating Tampines Rovers 3-1. But then the Mariners meekly surrendered to Shandong Luneng in the next round. Thereafter, in the AFC Cup, they lost to the same opponents in the Round of 16.

ACL

AFC Cup group stage

Round of 16

2017 AFC Cup

Mohun Bagan defeated Maldives' Club Valencia in the qualifying round but were ousted from the group stage after finishing third on the table