KOLKATA, India (AP) — Mohun Bagan Super Giants from India have decided not to travel to Iran for their planned match against Tractor SC in the Asian Champions League Two. This decision was influenced by increasing security concerns in the region. The match was originally scheduled for Wednesday in Tabriz, a city in northwestern Iran.
The Kolkata club has requested the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to postpone the game, citing the safety of players and staff as a primary concern. Following their request, the AFC issued a statement on Tuesday, indicating that the situation will be reviewed by the appropriate committees, with updates to be provided when available.
In the Asian Champions League Elite, Al-Hilal of Saudi Arabia, a four-time champion, continued their strong performance with a convincing 5-0 victory over Iraq’s Al-Shorta, marking their second win in the tournament. New signing Marcos Leonardo, brought in as backup for the injured Neymar, opened the scoring after just 11 minutes, followed shortly by Aleksandar Mitrovic who made it 2-0 within four minutes. The second half saw additional goals from Salem Al-Dawsari, Nasser Al-Dawsari, and Mohamed Kanno.
In another match, Qatar’s Al-Gharafa triumphed over Al-Ain from the United Arab Emirates with a score of 4-2, showcasing the competitive nature of the tournament.
The revamped Asian tournament features 24 teams divided into two groups of 12—one based in the west and the other in the east. The top eight teams from each group will advance to the knockout stage, known as the round of 16.
In the eastern zone, Gwangju FC from South Korea recorded a 1-0 victory against Japan’s Kawasaki Frontale in their inaugural tournament appearance. A first-half penalty by Jasir Asani secured their win. Additionally, South Korea’s Pohang Steelers recovered from an opening-game setback to defeat Shanghai Port 3-0, while city rivals Shanghai Shenhua also suffered a 3-0 loss, this time to Malaysia’s Johor. Meanwhile, Thailand’s Buriram United managed a 2-1 victory over Central Coast Mariners from Australia.
___
For more soccer updates, visit: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
