How can Mohun Bagan line up against Ahal FK?

Mohun Bagan will face Turkmenistan’s Ahal FK in their ACL 2 opener.

Mohun Bagan are ready to kick off their 2025-26 AFC Champions League Two campaign with the face off against Ahal FK at the Salt Lake Stadium, Kolkata, on Tuesday. The Mariners have been placed in a pretty tricky group, but will look to kick off their continental campaign with a decisive win over the Turkmenistan giants.

The Kolkata heavyweights can expect a very challenging task against Ahal, who have dominated the Turkmenistan football scene over the last decade. That is why Jose Molina will need to field his strongest XI to be able to raise Mohun Bagan’s chances of getting an important win to kick off their AFC Champions League Two campaign.

Fortunately for the Mariners, the rules in the AFC competition mean they can use more than five foreigners in their starting XI for this game. That could help significantly strengthen their starting XI and help Molina add more attacking firepower to his side as well. Here we look at how Mohun Bagan are likely to line up against Ahal FK in the upcoming AFC Champions League two clash.

Goalkeeper: Vishal Kaith

There are a few surprises over who will take up the goalkeeper role for Mohun Bagan in their ACL Two campaign. Kaith was an absolute rock for the Mariners in the 2024-25 Indian Super League (ISL) campaign, playing a key role in their ISL double win.

He kept 15 clean sheets in 26 games, proving his quality as a brilliant shot-stopper by pulling off amazing saves throughout the campaign. Kaith needs to be at his sharpest in the continental matches to help raise Mohun Bagan’s chances of getting more clean sheets.

Right-Back: Asish Rai

Asish Rai remains the most experienced right-back option in the Mohun Bagan squad, as he performed brilliantly under Jose Molina last season. The 26-year-old was able to help his side keep eight clean sheets in his 24 appearances, winning 99 duels and making 92 possession recoveries during the time.

Rai is a hard-working and energetic figure in the wide areas, able to cover a lot of ground and use his pace to frustrate wingers. He’ll need to be proactive against Ahal FK, and be precise with his challenges to neutralize their threat through the wide areas.

Centre-Back: Tom Aldred

Tom Aldred had some questions raised over his future at Mohun Bagan in the summer, but he has stuck with the Mariners to help them in their AFC journey. Aldred has garnered a lot of experience in his career, which he’ll look to use to aid the Mariners’ backline in the AFC Champions League Two campaign.

He will be aiming to hold together a sturdy defensive line and use his game-reading skills to keep the opposition forwards quiet. Aldred will have to work hard to cut down the empty spaces and nullify Ahal FK’s attacking threat in the AFC Champions League Two opener.

Centre-Back: Alberto Rodriguez

Alberto Rodriguez became a beloved figure among the Mohun Bagan faithful because of the kind of impact he was able to make in the 2024-25 season. The Spanish centre-back was not only able to use his physical prowess to be a commanding figure in their backline, but also helps with the build-up play and threat in set-pieces.

Rodriguez remains a key part of the Mariners’ backline, as he must use his efficient defensive style to frustrate the Ahal FK forwards. He will need to maintain his impressive positioning to help cut out chances, and also drive his side forward with clever forward passes and the ability to send teammates through on goal.

Left-Back: Subhasish Bose

The Mohun Bagan captain Subhasish Bose was a relentless warrior for the Mariners in the 2024-25 season, playing in an inspiring role in helping them win the two ISL titles. He was not only able to prove himself as a reliable defender who works really hard to win challenges, but also efficient with his goal-scoring prowess.

Subhasish has extensive experience playing in Asian competitions and should utilize it to strengthen the Mariners’ backline in the upcoming games. Bose will need to be proactive on the left and stern with his challenges to choke out Ahal’s creative threat on that side, while he also looks to be a threat on set pieces by getting to

the end of chances to raise their goal-scoring threat.

Centre-Midfield: Lalengmawia Ralte

Lalengmawia Ralte is ready to prove his quality in the AFC Champions League Two campaign for Mohun Bagan after seeing his hopes of doing so diminished last season. Apuia actually had a very good debut campaign with the Mariners, proving himself as one of the best midfielders in Indian football.

Ralte’s press-resistant nature, ball-winning ability, and excellent passing prowess should help him take the fight to Ahal FK’s players and help Mohun Bagan control the midfield battle. Apuia needs to be energetic with his presses and regain possession in key areas, as well as being clever with his forward passes to create big counterattacking chances to elevate his side’s threat going forward.

Centre-Midfield: Sahal Abdul Samad

Sahal Abdul Samad has had a pretty impressive start to the 2025-26 season with Mohun Bagan, being one of their best performers in the Durand Cup. He was able to rack up multiple goal contributions in the tournament to significantly elevate the Mariners’ incisive attacking threat. Sahal could be the X-Factor for Mohun Bagan in the 2025-26 ACL Two competition because of his unpredictable game in the opposition half.

Not only is he slick with his passing, link-up play, and work rate, but Samad also excels in darting into goal-scoring chances and creating big chances. He’ll need to be mischievous with his output in the final third to help Mohun Bagan unlock the opposition backline and cause them a lot of headaches.

Right-Wing: Liston Colaco

Liston Colaco actually ranks among Mohun Bagan’s highest scorers in Asian competitions. He’s scored seven goals and provided three assists in AFC competitions for the Mariners since joining them and will aim to maintain his good form in Asia. Colaco scored five goals in the 2025 Durand Cup for Mohun Bagan and has shown signs of promise in the early part of the 2025-26 season.

Colaco will look to use his clever dribbling ability to torment defenders and get into key scoring areas. The Indian winger will, however, need to be accurate with his final passes and with his shooting to give his side an edge against Ahal and help them get a decisive win.

Attacking-Midfield: Jason Cummings

Jason Cummings had an inspiring change in role at Mohun Bagan in the 2024-25 season, as he transitioned from a no.9 to almost a no.10. Cummings excelled in the role behind Jamie Maclaren, justifying the freedom he received to dictate play for the Mariners. Cummings was able to score 11 goals and provide seven assists in all competitions last season.

Cummings has a ton of experience playing on the big stages and aims to use that to amplify Mohun Bagan’s threat in the AFC games. He will have to be smart with his link-up play and passes in the final third to create chances, as well as needing to be unpredictable with his movement to get into goal-scoring areas and finish off chances clinically.

Left-Wing: Robson Robinho

Robson Robinho has been Mohun Bagan’s marquee signing of the 2025 summer window and he’s been brought mainly to help add more firepower to their attack in the AFC Champions League Two. The Brazilian forward is a highly experienced forward, who has already played in AFC competitions during his time at Bashundhara Kings.

Robinho can increase the pace and directness in Mohun Bagan’s attacking play, being able to carry the ball forward and dribble past defenders with ease. He’ll not only look to add more flair to the Mariners’ style, but also be accurate with his crosses and take threatening shots on goal to help add a fear factor in Mohun Bagan’s attack.

Centre-Forward: Jamie Maclaren

Mohun Bagan spent a lot of money to bring in a quality forward like Jamie Maclaren so that he can give them an edge in the AFC Champions League Two. The Australian forward will look to do just that in the current edition, after having scored 12 goals in the 2024-25 season for the Mariners.

Maclaren is a highly experienced forward who knows how to torment quality defenders with his smart movement and link-up play in the opposition half. He will, however, be primarily tasked to get into the open areas inside the box and finish off chances prolifically to help Mohun Bagan put on a highly entertaining show against Ahal FK.

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