ATK Mohun Bagan will be back on the international stage as they take on Malaysian side Kuala Lumpur City FC in the AFC Cup Inter-Zonal playoff semi-final at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata on Wednesday.

The Mariners looked a bit flaky in the Durand Cup as they couldn’t make it past the group stage, but head coach Juan Ferrando is confident of his side, which will aim to reach higher ceilings in their AFC Cup campaign.

Also Read: Durand Cup is in the past, we’re looking ahead: ATK Mohun Bagan’s Juan Ferrando ahead of AFC Cup Inter-Zone Playoff SF

Kuala Lumpur City FC (KLC City FC), on the other hand, will be a tough nut to crack as they have punched above their weight and will put the pressure on hosts ATK Mohun Bagan. The Malaysian side, led by head coach Bojan Hodak, sealed a place in the fixture after beating Uzbek side PSM Makassar.

It will be an exciting game to watch as the two sides go toe-to-toe for the very first time in history, with Liston Colaco’s red-hot form leading the Mariners from the front as the winger has already made six goal contributions in three matches. The Goan player will be determined to find himself on the scoresheet.

The City Boys are no less when it comes to firepower as they have the service of their captain Paulo Josue, who of late has been in sparkling form as he boasts of four goals in three games and is a crucial element in the midfield.

The Kolkata-based side have a match fit squad and will be looking to play their best eleven on the pitch, as Ferrando would want his team to be on the front foot right from the start of the game.

“The conditions for the players are much better now. It’s different for foreign players when they come here to India. It takes time to adapt to the weather, the food and the conditions. That’s normal. We will have to take decisions on the foreign players, it’ll be a difficult decision. But we’ll have to take that decision,” said Juan Ferrando during the pre-match press conference.

Match Timings and Telecast Details

Match: ATK Mohun Bagan vs KLC City FC

Date: September 07, 2022

Kick-off time: 7pm IST

Telecast: Star Sports Network

Live Streaming: Disney+ Hotstar and JioTV