AFC Cup: Mohun Bagan Take on Tampines Rovers FC in Round of 16

Upbeat Mohun Bagan will look to continue their fine run of form when they lock horns with Tampines Rovers in the first leg pre-quarterfinals of the AFC Cup football in Guwahati on Tuesday.

Mohun Bagan are coming off a splendid title triumph in the Federation Cup at home and the Indian heavyweights also finished runner-up in the I-League.

Though the green and maroon brigade will be without a few key players, they have the wherewithal to challenge the Singapore outfit, which has not been in the best of form in the second-tier continental tournament this season.

Katsumi Yusa's absence is one of the injury concerns for coach Sanjoy Sen ahead of the last-16 clash at the Indira Gandhi Stadium. The Japanese seemed to have injured his ankle during the Federation Cup and will miss the match on Tuesday.

Joining Katsumi on the sidelines will be injured right-back Pritam Kotal.

The hugely successful Sen will also be without his ace striker Sony Norde, who has been called for a national camp ahead of the centenary Copa America Cup.

The Haitian forward has been instrumental in Mohun Bagan's success in the Federation Cup and their impressive AFC Cup campaign so far.

It was Norde who opened the floodgates in the final of Federation Cup in which Mohun Bagan routed Aizawl FC 5-0.

Mohun Bagan topped their group en route to the pre-quarterfinals.

As far as Tampines Rovers are concerned, they merely scraped through Group E after collecting a last-day victory against Selangor FA to finish runners-up.