FULL MATCH: Mohun Bagan beat Colombo FC away from home in AFC Cup 2017 Qualifiers (first leg)

MOHUN BAGAN GOT their Asian campaign off to a winning start when they beat Colombo FC 1-2 away from home in the first leg of their AFC Cup Qualifiers playoff tie. 

Playing without their star winger Sony Norde, head coach Sanjoy Sen started Kean Lewis on the left wing, Katsumi Yusa as a central attacking midfielder and Prabir Das on the right, benching Jeje and opting for a heavier midfield. Also, first choice keeper Debjit Majumder was rested and Shilton Paul was given a game instead.

The Mariners had the upper hand from minute one. They were the better team in terms of passing, possession and flow of game while Colombo FC came in with a defensive mindset, putting bodies behind the ball and choosing to rely on counters and set-pieces.

The first goal for Mohun Bagan came pretty early in the game, with Prabir Das running up the right and sending a beautiful cross into the box. Kean Lewis, who was repeatedly cutting in from the left to put extra pressure on the Colombo box, was in perfect position to send a brilliant header into the net. Mohun Bagan were 0-1 up.

But their lead was short-lived. At the half hour mark a defensive mistake allowed opponent striker Afeez Olofin to run straight through into the Mohun Bagan box and knock it straight past Shilton to make it 1-1. Towards the end of the first half, Bagan scorer Kean Lewis had to be subbed out due to an injury he had picked up from a foul. Jeje Lalpekhlua came in to replace him, assuming a deeper position than he usually does.

As the second half began, Mohun Bagan took a few minutes to get them back into rhythm and there were periods when back to back corners kept the visitors under a lot of pressure from the home team. But about 10 minutes in, the flow of attacks resumed. And 71 minutes in, the long awaited goal came, with Sehnaj Singh finding himself some room just outside the penalty box and letting fly, pass the keeper, into the net in a world class finish. 

After Mohun Bagan went 1-2 up they slowed down the match to some extent and Colombo did not appear to be pursuant enough to back them into a corner (although they did earn a couple of corners). The match ended with a win for the Mariners, who will have an advantage going into the second leg game on 7th February at the Rabindra Sarobar Stadium in Kolkata.

Here's a video of the entire match detailing every action as it unfolded.