AFC Cup 2021: FC Nasaf 6-0 ATK Mohun Bagan - 4 things we learned
ATK Mohun Bagan played their AFC Cup inter-zonal semi-finals (quarter-finals in more straightforward terms) against FC Nasaf in Karshi at the Markaziy Stadium. The Uzbekistan side started the game positively, taking the lead in the 4th minute through a Pritam Kotal own goal.
And just like that, the floodgates opened, with Nasaf scoring three goals in 21 minutes to put the game beyond any doubt.
The score at halftime read 5-0 in favor of the hosts as the Mariners failed to do anything substantial in the first half.
FC Nasaf took it easy in the second half and scored only one more goal in the second half to end the game 6-0 in favor of the hosts. With this victory, Nasaf progressed to the inter-zonal final, where they will face Lee Man of Hong Kong.
With this defeat, ATK Mohun Bagan's maiden run in the AFC Cup came to an end.
On that note, let us take a look at four things we learned from today's game
4. Without Tiri and Sandesh Jhingan, ATKMB's defence fell like a pack of cards
ATK Mohun Bagan played without their star defender Tiri in the AFC Cup this season. The reason for Tiri's absence is not known, but it is clear that his absence has hurt ATK Mohun Bagan. In addition, Sandesh Jhingan left the Mariners this season to move to Croatia.
With two of their star defenders missing, ATK Mohun Bagan had a herculean task sorting out their defense. The hole left by Sandesh Jhingan in ATK Mohun Bagan's defense will take some time to fill up.
Playing with makeshift center backs, ATK Mohun Bagan's defense fell like a pack of cards.
3. FC Nasaf didn't allow ATK Mohun Bagan to settle into the game
FC Nasaf used the home conditions to perfection and started the game on a positive note. They made their intentions clear from the first minute, and when they got the lead in the 4th minute, it opened the floodgates for them.
After getting the crucial first goal, FC Nasaf didn't let ATK Mohun Bagan settle into the game, kept attacking, and managed to score goals at regular intervals. The constant barrage of attacks from Nasaf didn't allow ATK Mohun Bagan to regroup and assess things until the referee blew the half-time whistle with scoreboard reading 5-0. It was evident that the game was all but over, and the only thing left to play for in the second half was pride.
The constant early pressure from FC Nasaf helped them completely outplay ATK Mohun Bagan and secured them a position in the inter-zonal final.
2. 19-year-old Norchaev Khusain demolishes ATK Mohun Bagan
FC Nasaf's 19-year-old striker Norchaev Khusain, a star player in Uzbekistan, demolished ATK Mohun Bagan in the first half. Khusain scored in the 18th, 21st, and 31st minutes to complete a first-half hat-trick.
He ran circles around the ATK Mohun Bagan defenders, toying with the backline as he put the ball in Mariners' net on three occasions in the first half alone.
Berdiev Ruzikul, FC Nasaf's coach, decided to bench the youngster at the start of the second half as he bought on former Delhi Dynamos striker Andrija Kaluderovic. However, had Norchaev played the whole game, the story could have been a lot different.
Apart from Norchaev, left-back Nasrullaev and center forward Akmal Mozgovoy played crucial roles during the game.
Nasrullaev, in particular, made the ATK Mohun Bagan defense look like a bunch of schoolboys.
1. Antonio Habas needs to work on his wing-backs
While ATK Mohun Bagan were without their first-choice center backs, they played their best wing-back pairing in Subhasish Bose and Ashutosh Mehta.
The ATK Mohun Bagan wing-backs were the most exposed players today, and in no way did they look like the best in the country.
FC Nasaf continuously exploited the wings and put in crosses that consistently troubled the Mariners' defense. If ATK Mohun Bagan are to repeat their results from the season gone by, they need to sort out their wing-back issues soon.