Indian football giants Mohun Bagan SG are all set to square off against Machhindra FC from Nepal in the second preliminary round of AFC Cup 2023-24 at the iconic Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday. The match is set to begin at 7:00 PM IST.
The Mariners secured a spot in round 2 of the AFC Cup preliminary stage after emerging triumphant in Indian Super League 2022-23 and then overcoming Hyderabad FC in a playoff earlier this year.
Nepal’s Machhindra FC, on the other hand, advanced to the AFC Cup 2023 preliminary stage after finishing as runners-up in Martyr's Memorial A-Division League - the top division football league in the country.
They began their AFC Cup 2023-24 campaign by defeating Bhutan’s Paro FC in the first preliminary round and will now be squaring off against Mohun Bagan in the second preliminary round.
The upcoming fixture between these sides will be the first encounter between Mohun Bagan and Machhindra FC in the history of both clubs. The winner of this clash will advance to the South Asian playoff round for a spot in the AFC Cup 2023-24 group stage.
The Mariners are currently in the midst of their Calcutta Football League campaign as well as the 2023 edition of Durand Cup and head into Wednesday’s clash on the back of a 0-1 Kolkata derby defeat at the hands of arch-rivals East Bengal in CFL 2023.
The last two editions of the AFC Cup witnessed the Mariners top the group stage before stumbling at the inter-zone semi-finals stage. Mohun Bagan will be hoping to join Odisha FC, who have already qualified for the group stage of the AFC Cup 2023-24.
Where to watch Mohun Bagan vs Machhindra’s AFC Cup 2023-24 football match live in India?
Live streaming of Mohun Bagan vs Machhindra's AFC Cup 2023-24 preliminary second round will be available on InSports TV and Mohun Bagan’s Facebook page in India.
There will be no live telecast of Mohun Bagan vs Machhindra's AFC Cup 2023-24 preliminary second round match on any TV channel in India.
Photo credit: Alamy
