New Delhi [India], August 14 (ANI): Indian Super League (ISL) side FC Goa (FCG) qualified for the group stages of the AFC Champions League Two after a terrific 2-1 win over Oman’s Al-Seeb Club in the preliminary stage encounter at Fatorda on Wednesday, as per the official website of ISL.
Dejan Drazic and Javier Siverio were on the scoresheet for the Gaurs as they confirmed their spot in the ACL Two group stage.
FC Goa will join Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) as India’s second representative in the competition. The Mariners secured a direct qualification for the group stages thanks to their League Shield triumph last season. Manolo Marquez’s team who won the Kalinga Super Cup had to go through a playoff round to qualify for the group stages.
FC Goa, who were the first Indian club to play in the AFC Champions League group stages in 2021, will now look to create more history in the ACL 2, while the Mariners have history in the competition which was called the AFC Cup before. The Kolkata Giants reached the Inter-Zone Playoff Semi-final twice in 2021 and 2022.
The draw for the group stages of the ACL Two will take place on August 15. The draw for the group stages of ACL Two will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa will be part of the Western Region side of the draw.
The teams from the West are divided into four pots with Mohun Bagan Super Giant finding themselves in Pot 3, while FC Goa take up a spot in Pot 4.
Here are the full pots:
Pot A: Sepahan (Iran), Al Nassr (Saudi Arabia), Al Wasl (UAE), Al Ahli (Qatar)
Pot B: Esteghlal (Iran), PFC Andijon (Uzbekistan), Al Zawraa SC (Iraq), Al Hussein (Jordan)
Pot C: Al Muharraq (Bahrain), Mohun Bagan Super Giant (India), FC Istiklol (Tajikistan), FK Arkadag (Turkmenistan)
Pot D: Al Wehdat (Jordan), Al Khaldiya (Bahrain), FC Goa (India), Ahal FC (Turkmenistan)
Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa cannot be drawn in the same group as the rules prevent clubs representing the same federation from being drawn together in the same group.
Both Mohun Bagan Super Giant and FC Goa can be drawn against any team from Pots A and B, keeping in mind the country protection rules.
Iran’s Sepahan are a big name in Asian football having finished runners-up in the AFC Champions League Elite in 2007, are placed in Pot A alongside Saudi Arabia’s Al Nassr, AFC Cup Winners’ Cup and Asian Super Cup champions in 1997-97 and 1998. The Saudi side features a lot of top global stars which would present the prospect of them coming to the Indian shores.
Al Wasl of UAE and Al Ahli of Qatar, who are both giants domestically complete Pot A.
In Pot B, Iran’s Esteghlal are the biggest name having won the AFC Champions League Elite twice in their history. They are also nine-time Iranian champions. Uzbekistan’s PFC Andijan who are three-time winners of their national league and Jordan’s Al Hussein complete Pot B.
The Mariners will be drawn with one of the three teams in Pot D that include Al Wehdat of Jordan, who are 17-time champions of the domestic league and have been a consistent feature in AFC competitions. Al Khaldiya, who are just four years old have already made a name for themselves winning the Bahrain Premier League twice in their short history. Ahal FC of Turkmenistan, who qualified for the group stages through the playoff route like FC Goa complete Pot D.
FC Goa can face three teams from Pot C that include Bahrain’s Al-Muharraq who are the most decorated among the lot when it comes to continental glory. Al-Muharraq have won the ACL Two (then AFC Cup) twice in 2008 and 2021. Tajikistan’s Istiklol, two-time ACL Two runners-up in 2015 and 2017 and FK Arkadag, the current holders of the AFC Challenge League also make the cut. The Turkmenistan side knocked out East Bengal FC at the quarter-final stage in last season’s competition en-route to their triumph. (ANI)
