Anwar Ali's suffers injury in Mohun Bagan's AFC Cup tie

Anwar Ali had to be stretchered off in the AFC Cup game on 24 October.

Mohun Bagan Super Giant saw their 10-game winning streak snapped in the AFC Cup group game against Bashundhara Kings on Tuesday, 24 October. The Mariners were forced to play a designated home match in a neutral venue (Kalinga Stadium) and that ended up costing them against the Bangladeshi heavyweights.

Not only did Juan Ferrando’s side miss out on three points, but the tactician also saw Anwar Ali pick up an injury towards the end of the game. The young centre-back did not participate in the October international break for India (was named in squad) due to some issue and that might’ve come back to haunt him.

In added time, Ali picked up an ankle injury and was forced to be taken off in the dying moments of the game. He had worked hard all through the match and was pushed to his limits by an energetic Bashundhara side. Towards the end, he clashed with an opposition player, that left him on the worse and forced to be taken off.

After the game, Ali was seen with bandages taping up his right ankle. He was also not exactly moving comfortably and Ferrando didn’t explain the extent of the injury. This could, however, be a major blow for the Mariners if Ali ends up missing a large chunk of action due to this injury.

The India international has been one of Mohun Bagan's best signings of the summer window. Ali has been extremely consistent in carving out impressive performances repeatedly, be it in the Indian Super League (ISL), Durand Cup or the AFC Cup.

He has not only brought defensive sturdiness and composure to the backline, but also helped implement Ferrando’s style well. Moreover, he has also scored three goals in 13 appearances across all competitions and helped the Mariners keep four clean-sheets in those matches.

There is still no confirmation about how bad Ali’s injury potentially is. Mohun Bagan’s next scheduled match is on November 1 when they travel to face Jamshedpur FC in the ISL. Their first Kolkata derby, originally set for 28 October, has been postponed. As a result, there is still a bit of time for Ali to recover for the next game, but that will only happen if his injury is deemed as nothing serious by the medical staff.