Kolkata: ATK Mohun Bagan reached the inter-zonal semifinals of the AFC Cup 2022 in style as they pull off a 5-2 win over Maldives side Maziya SR. Finnish midfielder Joni Kauko scored a brace in orchestrating the must needed victory for the Mariners.
Speaking on the win, head coach of ATK Mohun Bagan , Juan Ferrando was quoted saying, ” Best football is played on the pitch not in press conferences. ”
The statement made by gaffer was deemed true with ATK Mohun Bagan claiming two back to back victories against Bashundhara Kings and Maziya by 4-0 and 5-2 respectively.
The Mariners were ultimately motivated as they entered the pitch, with Bashundhara Kings claiming a victory against Gokulam Kerala FC earlier the evening, the match had become a must win affair for the Green and Maroon.
Joni Kauko broke the deadlock in the 26th minute and bagged a brace in 11 minutes. While, Subhashish Bose scored another and assisted Roy Krishna as well, who finally found the net. Hat-trick hero against Bashundhara Kings, Liston Colaco provided an important assist, although failed to get on the list himself. However, despite a Deepak Tangri howler, standout performances from Sandesh Jhingan, custodian Arsh Anwer and Pritam Kotal added to the glory of the Mariners.
