AFC Cup 2021: ATK Mohun Bagan 2-0 Bengaluru FC - 4 things we learned
Last season's Indian Super League finalists ATK Mohun Bagan started their 2021-22 season with their AFC Cup group stage match against Bengaluru FC.
Bengaluru FC qualified for the group stages by beating the Maldives side Club Eagles in the AFC Cup playoffs. Meanwhile, ATK Mohun Bagan secured their spot in the AFC Cup group stages after ATK became the Indian Super League 2019-20 champions and Mohun Bagan became the I-League Champions of the 2019-20 season (ATK Mohun Bagan chose to use Mohun Bagan's direct group stage spot for the AFC Cup).
The match started on a positive note for ATK Mohun Bagan as they started to keep hold of the ball and make inroads into the Bengaluru FC box from the early stages of the game. Bengaluru FC then eased into the game and took control of possession.
The Mariners took the lead just before halftime when Roy Krishna headed home from 3 yards out from a Hugo Boumous corner in the 39th minute.
The scoreboard at halftime read 1-0 in favor of ATK Mohun Bagan.
ATK Mohun Bagan doubled their lead early in the second half when Subhasish Bose drove the ball into the net with a powerful left-footed grounder that beat Gurpreet Singh Sandhu in the 46th minute.
ATK Mohun Bagan sat back longer and let Bengaluru FC do more of the running with a two-goal cushion. However, while Bengaluru FC had more ball possession, they couldn't trouble the ATK Mohun Bagan goal.
The scoreboard at full-time read 2-0 in favor of the Mariners.
On that note, let us take a look at four things we learned from today's game.
#4 Bengaluru FC's midfield a cause for concern for Marco Pezzaiuoli
Not having an experienced player in midfield is a cause for concern for Marco Pezzaiuoli. Bengaluru FC started with Ajay Chhetri, Suresh Singh Wangjam and Jayesh Rane in midfield. The trio were outclassed by Hugo Boumous, Carl McHugh and Lenny Rodrigues.
In the first half, the Bengaluru FC midfield put up a disappearing act. The lack of cohesion meant that neither the defense nor the attackers got the support required from the midfielders.
While we must credit the young midfielders for getting themselves organized in the second half, the damage was already done by then.
In the second half, the midfield did well to help the defense and created more openings once ATK Mohun Bagan decided to sit back.
#3 Sunil Chhetri and Bengaluru FC's forward line's disappearing act continues
In the last match, Bengaluru FC managed to beat Club Eagles by a 1-0 scoreline. Jayesh Rane scored the winner in that game. The Bengaluru FC forward line had a game to forget then, and today it was the same story again. The forward line didn't get quality support from the midfield, but the support was better than in the last game.
Bengaluru FC failed to get their captain Sunil Chhetri involved in the proceedings of the game.
ATK Mohun Bagan were prepared for the attacks that Bengaluru FC conjured.
Marco Pezzaiuoli will need his forwards, especially Sunil Chhetri and Cleiton Silva, to step up to the occasion if Bengaluru FC are to qualify for the next round.
#2 ATK Mohun Bagan's foreigners get into a rhythm from the first game
The biggest strength that ATK Mohun Bagan has is that the team's core has been the same for three seasons now. Retaining the core has enabled the players to get to know each other better and build a good understanding of Antonio Habas's style of football.
Hugo Boumous, who recently joined ATK Mohun Bagan from Mumbai City FC for a record transfer fee, played his first game today. Despite this being his first official game, Hugo easily linked up with Roy Krishna and David Williams and delivered some beautiful balls into the box for the strikers.
If this game is anything to go by, then ATK Mohun Bagan are the front runners to qualify for the competition's knockout stages.
#1 Antonio Habas's smart football keeps delivering results
When we think of Spanish coaches in football, we immediately think of them playing football synonymous with tiki-taka. However, Antonio Habas made his name having a different approach to the game, one that Atletico Madrid is known to execute to perfection. This involves a balance of attack on the counter and proper defensive shape, but also has an element in which the team can change gears and rip apart an opponent's defense.
Habas has often been criticized for playing a physical brand of football, but whatever the criticism may be, one cannot argue that he has been the best manager in the Indian Super League. Habas has been able to get a style into place, which plays to his and the players' strength. He has been practical in his approach. His ability to adapt and modify his plans according to the players' strengths rather than imposing a style on them, which makes them uncomfortable on the pitch, has worked wonders for the Spanish gaffer.
Habas has also evolved during his second tenure at ATK and ATK Mohun Bagan, where he has been developing the players to be versatile in their approach and style. This approach has helped Habas get results from difficult situations.