AFC Champions League Two 2024-25 Rival Watch | Ravshan Kulob

The Tajikistan-based outfit will aim to capitalise on the Mariners’ defensive lapses.

The inaugural edition of AFC Champions League Two (ACL Two) will see numerous top teams from all across Asia compete when it kicks off on 17 September. Indian representatives Mohun Bagan Super Giant will begin their campaign in the second-tier club football continental tournament when they take on Tajik side Ravshan Kulob on 18 September at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

Mohun Bagan had a disappointing outing last season in the former AFC Cup competition (currently known as the ACL Two) as they were knocked out from the group stage itself. This time they will aim to put up much better performances though the challenge is tougher now.

Ravshan Kulob are a resolute but beatable side and the upcoming tie against them will provide Molina’s side a good opportunity to get their AFC Champions League Two season underway on a positive note in front of their home crowd.

As we are getting closer to the exciting clash, let’s try to know more about Ravshan Kulob.

About the Team

Ravshan Kulob are one of the top Tajikistani teams that regularly compete in the Ligai Olii Tojikiston, the top division league. The club was formed in the year 1965 as FK Ansol Kulob. They qualified for the AFC Champions League Two by finishing runners-up in the 2023 season. Like Mohun Bagan, they also have participated in the AFC Cup on several occasions, with their most recent outing being in the previous AFC Cup season where they finished third in Group E with 3 points behind FK Abdish-Ata Kant and Altyn Asyr.

Some of their significant achievements in Tajikistan Football include winning the top-tier league twice in 2012 and 2013. Additionally, they have also won many other domestic Cup competitions on several instances.

Recent Performances

In the ongoing season of the Tajikistan Higher League, they are currently placed in fifth position in the points table after 15 matches. So far, they have managed to secure seven wins, and six draws while also suffering losses in two games and accumulating 27 points in total. Their defense has been quite good until now as they conceded just 12 goals and maintained a healthy goal difference of +8.

Ravshan Kulob played their last game against Ekshata on 6th September which they won convincingly by a 4-1 scoreline and will be in high spirits when they reach India to take on Mohun Bagan. It will be crucial for the Mariners to be in their best shape to dig out a favourable result from the upcoming game.

The Coach

Ali Nazarzadeh

Ali Nazarzadeh is an experienced tactician and has been coaching clubs in Central Asia for a long time. The 61-year-old Iranian has managed some top clubs like Aluminium Arak, and Sanat Naft in the past and prefers an attacking 4-3-3 formation. It will be interesting to see the tactical battle between Ali Nazarzadeh and Jose Molina on Wednesday.

Players to Watch 

Mukhammadzhon Rakhimov – Right Winger

Mukhammadzhon Rakhimov is one of the most experienced players in the Tajikistan side. The 30-year-old winger plays a key role in linking their defence to the attack. His ability to read the game and make accurate passes to exploit the opposition’s defence will be very crucial for Ravshan Kulob.

Rakhimov has represented the Tajikistan National Football team 50 times and also has experience playing in the Uzbekistan Super League for clubs like Nasaf and Bukhara. Mohun Bagan’s players should mark him closely and make sure that he doesn’t operate freely through the flank and the midfield.

Samuel Ofori – Centre-back

The presence of the towering 6’3″ centre-back in the Ravshan backline is one of the most important reasons why they have been defensively solid so far. In the 2021-22 season, he was named the best foreign player in the Tajikistan Higher League. The Ghanaian defender also played a big role in helping Ravshan Kulob secure qualification to AFC Champions League Two. Molina and his boys must figure out the right strategy to get past him and score goals.

What to Expect 

Ravshan Kulob are coming into the match after having a decent season thus far. They also have 15 games under their belt as the league began in April. Whereas Mohun Bagan had an average Durand Cup campaign and will head into the crucial tie after drawing against Mumbai City in the opening game of ISL.

It’s also quite evident that Mohun Bagan have been struggling with their defence after the controversial departure of Anwar Ali to East Bengal. But with Nuno Reis coming in, their defence is likely to be in better shape compared to the previous matches. Having already played a lot of games this season, Navshan are expected to be more match-fit and dominate possession while the Mariners are expected to try and score on counter-attacks.

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