KOLKATA: With embers of the defeat to East Bengal FC still to die down, Mohun Bagan SG will have a quick opportunity to put the disappointment behind, restarting their engine for a fresh challenge in conquering the continental hurdle.
Four days after seeing their eight-match winning streak against East Bengal come to an end - A 0-1 loss in the Durand Cup group stage - Juan Ferrando's side is now preparing to host Nepal's Machhindra FC in the second preliminary round of AFC Cup at the Salt Lake Stadium on Wednesday.
"That match (against East Bengal) is past and it's not possible to change anything," Ferrando insisted on Monday. "Our only focus is to qualify for the next round of AFC Cup," he added.
Mohun Bagan are firm favourites to get past the Nepalese side and seal their place in the AFC Cup group stage for the third season running. However, Ferrando has a bigger challenge on hand.
Twice in the recent past, the green-and-maroon brigade's continental campaign has failed to move past the inter-zonal semifinal stage. And one of the reasons Mohun Bagan SG owners have given green light to bolstering the squad - with the acquisition of Australian World Cupper Jason Cummings, Albanian forward Armando Sadiku, India defender Anwar Ali et al - could be linked to the team's growing ambitions of becoming not only a domestic dazzler but making a meaningful mark in Asia as well.
"He (team owner Sanjiv Goenka) wants to win every trophy. That's normal," Ferrando said, being aware that the quicker his team hits its stride in the season the better for such a project to reach its fruition.
"The team needs to go through a process. Cummings, Armando… they need time to adapt to the system, time to work as a team. Day by day, training by training, this team will improve," he further noted.
Machhindra FC, who posted their first-ever win in the tournament by beating Bhutan's Paro FC in the previous round, are looking at the prospect of cashing in on a work-in-progress Bagan.
"Mohun Bagan are coming from a loss in the derby but they are a very good attacking side and play 4-3-2-1 (formation). We will make our defence strong and create opportunities to score goals," said Kishore Kumar KC, coach of the Kathmandu-based club.
Since Nepal's FIFA ranking is lower than India's, Machhindra FC are forced to play away from home, but their goalkeeper Bishal Shrestha accepted the challenge saying, "We are mentally fit to face Mohun Bagan."
