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Kathmandu, The AFC Cup 2023/24 Preliminary Stage 2 match between India's Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Nepal's Machhindra FC was played on Wednesday at Salt Lake Stadium, and the winner, Mohun Bagan Super Giant, clinched the chance for another extended continental cup run with a 3-1 victory.

Anwar Ali's skill in the air helped Mohun Bagan Super Giant, last year's Inter-Zone semifinalist, go to the Playoff against Bangladesh's Abahani Dhaka Limited for a position in the South Zone group stage. The defender scored twice for his team.

The host team made the majority of the early running and had a chance to score when Sahal Abdul Samad, a recent addition, twice forced the Machhindra custodian to make saves in the 11th and 26th minutes.

A set-piece manoeuvre by Mohun Bagan Super Giant saw Anwar rise highest to head home Hugo Boumous's corner kick in the 38th minute, breaking the tie just as it appeared that the game would go into halftime evenly matched.

As the Kolkata juggernaut continued to apply pressure four minutes into the second half, Bishal made two saves, first from Sahal and then from Jason Cummings, another player making his Mohun Bagan Super Giant's debut.

The Mohun Bagan Super Giant's lead was extended in the 59th minute thanks to a precise finish from the Australian attacker.

After being given a second chance at a free-kick in the 78th minute, Machhindra's Pierre Jean Oloumou scored to defeat the unused Vishal Kaith in the home team's goal.

But in the 85th minute, another Anwar header—this one from substitute Dimitrios Petratos—gave the hosts their two-goal advantage back, ensuring that they would advance to the next round.

-AFC