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ATK Mohun Bagan (ATKMB) have been drawn as the hosts of the AFC Cup 2022 Inter-Zone Playoffs Semifinal, where the Mariners will face the ASEAN champions on September 7. The match will take place at the Salt Lake Stadium, the home stadium of the Green and Maroon Brigade.
ATKMB qualified for the Inter-Zone Playoffs as champions of South Asia after finishing top of Group D. Meanwhile, the ASEAN Zone representative will be finalized after the zonal semi-finals between Indonesia's PSM Makassar and Kedah Darul Aman of Malaysia (August 9) and Vietnam's Viettel FC and Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur City FC (August 10).
The winner of the ASEAN Zone final will square off against ATK Mohun Bagan in a single-legged clash.
In the other Inter-Zone semifinal, Hong Kong club Eastern Long Lions will be hosting the champions of the Central Zone on September 6.
ATK Mohun Bagan's run so far in the AFC Cup 2022
The Green and Maroon Brigade started their AFC Cup 2022 campaign with a stunning 4-2 loss against I-League champions Gokulam Kerala FC on the opening day of the tournament. However, ATK Mohun Bagan regrouped and roared back in their following matches.
Against Bangladesh heavyweights Bashundhara Kings, the Mariners recorded a statement 4-0 victory, powered by a Liston Colaco hattrick. On the third and final matchday, ATKMB needed to win their game against Maziya Sports and Recreation Club and hoped that Gokulam Kerala would drop points against Bashundhara Kings.
Juan Ferrando's men staged a staggering 5-2 victory against the Maldivian club and as luck would have it, the Bangladeshi club managed to defeat the Malabarians. ATK Mohun Bagan topped Group D and sealed a spot in the Inter Zone Semi-Finals.
With two big wins and nine goals in the process, the Mariners will be confident going into the Inter-Zone semis. However, it was at a similar stage where ATK Mohun Bagan were ousted in the previous edition of the continental event after a heavy loss to FC Nasaf. Expect Ferrando's side not to repeat the same mistake this time around.
