Bagan rest big names in final AFC Cup group stage game against South China

MOHUN BAGAN ARE resting some of their most prolific players for their match against South China in the AFC Cup; their last group stage game.

The Mariners have been on a good run in the second-tier Asian championship; they won 3 and drew 2 of their Group G matches. Unbeaten, they are sure to top their group, and have the advantage of playing the pre-quarter final tie at home.

Tomorrow they face South China, a club Bagan beat convincingly by a 0-4 margin in the previous leg, away from home. Which must be part of the reason why Sanjoy Sen felt comfortable resting some of his prolific players like Sony Norde, Katsumi Yusa, Cornell Glen, Pronay Halder, Kingshuk Debnath, Bikramjit Singh as well as keeper Debjit Majumder.

This will not only allow them to rest some of their main players ahead of the crucial Federation Cup games that are coming up; and also test their bench strength. 

Players like Subhash Singh, Arnab Das Sharma, Kean Lewis and others will get to take the centre stage in an important international club game, with a chance to showcase their skills on a big stage just before the season gets over.

Many of these non-regular players may also make it to the first team in the Federation Cup second leg semi-finals against Shillong Lajong; a tie Mohun Bagan are leading 5-0 thanks to a massive win in the home leg.

Although Wednesday's game is inconsequential for Bagan, it's a do-or-die evening for Hong Kong's South China. Standing second with 6 points from 5 matches, they are desperate to ensure their place in the AFC pre-quarters with a win. The fact that Mohun Bagan are resting almost the entirety of their first team attack, they will fancy a chance for themselves and look to get an early goal for themselves. 

And the Mohun Bagan back four - largely left untouched and featuring the efficient and experienced Luciano Sabrosa, the only foreigner travelling with the team - will have a task at their hand; charged for the first time this season with the duty to hold their own without the familiarly formidable Mohun Bagan attack taking pressure off them.

Bagan coach Sanjoy Sen has taken a strategy of cautious progression in order to make sure he has the freshest and least injury-ridden team available for the Fed Cup final and AFC Cup pre-quarters. This might result in the team playing a lighter, more conservative game in the next two games; especially in this one.