Four clubs from South Asia got to know their opponents in the 2023/24 AFC Cup group stage draw South Zone. Indian Super Cup winners Odisha FC, Bangladesh league champions Basundhara Kings, Maziya from Maldives and Indian Super League winners Mohun Bagan were placed in Group D. Only the top-place team from the group will qualify for the inter-zonal play-offs semifinal. This is the first and only AFC Cup season to have a two-year schedule from autumn to spring. Unlike, the all-year-round schedule played until now. The tournament will also have its last edition with the ‘AFC Cup’ name as it will be known as ‘AFC Champions League 2’ or ‘ACL2’ from next season.
Group D
Odisha FC (India)
Basundhara Kings (Bangladesh)
Maziya Sports & Recreation (Maldives)
Mohun Bagan Super Giants (India)
One of the two Indian clubs in Group D, Odisha FC got the direct entry in the AFC Cup after winning the Hero Super Cup back in April and then beating last year’s I-League winners Gokulam Kerala in the qualifying playoffs. The ISL side will participate at the continental level for the very first time. Odisha FC will be the 14th participant from India in the AFC Cup history.
Basundhara Kings will compete in the AFC Cup after winning the Bangladesh league for a record fourth consecutive time. The last campaign in the competition did not go as planned as they finished second to Mohun Bagan. Basundhara had the same number of points as the group winners but a heavy 4-0 defeat against them plummeted the goal difference which separated the teams.
Another familiar side in this group will be Maziya who have won their domestic title four times as well. The club based in Maldives were also eliminated by Mohun Bagan last time in the AFC Cup in the final group game. That condemned them to finish third with only three points collected.
Their antagonists Mohun Bagan will participate in the AFC Cup once again, this time with the name ‘Mohun Bagan Super Giants’. The Green and Maroon won the ISL trophy earning them a preliminary qualification spot. After beating Nepalese side Machhindra FC and Bangladesh’s Abahani Dhaka in back-to-back matches, they entered the group stages of the competition. Mohun Bagan are competing in the AFC Cup for the eighth time.
Fixtures
19 September 2023
Odisha FC vs Mohun Bagan (19:30)
Maziya vs Basundhara Kings (21:30)
2 October 2023
Basundhara Kings vs Odisha FC (17:30)
Mohun Bagan vs Maziya (19:30)
24 October 2023
Mohun Bagan vs Basundhara Kings (17:30)
Odisha FC vs Maziya (19:30)
7 November 2023
Basundhara Kings vs Mohun Bagan (20:00)
Maziya vs Odisha FC (21:00)
27 November 2023
Basundhara Kings vs Maziya (18:00)
Mohun Bagan vs Odisha FC (19:30)
11 December 2023
Odisha FC vs Basundhara Kings (19:30)
Maziya vs Mohun Bagan (19:30)
Note: All Timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST)
Check out here AFC Champions League 2023/24 Group Stage Draw West Zone
