India's Bengaluru FC lost an opportunity to make history after being grounded by Iraqi club Air Force Club by a 1-0 margin in the AFC Cup final in Doha on Saturday.
Mumbai City FC scripted history as they fought back from a goal down to stun Iraqi giants Air Force Club 2-1 and become the first Indian club to win a game at the top-tier AFC Asian Champions League.
In Group C, Iran's Sepahan survived a pair of red cards to defeat Air Force Club from Iraq 1-0 in Tehran and stay two points adrift of leaders Al-Ittihad from Saudi Arabia.
Mumbai City FC lost 2-0 to Iranian Club Nassaji Mazandaran in their first AFC Champions League group stage game at home.
Saudi Arabia's Al Shabab booked their place in the knockout rounds of the Asian Champions League with a 6-0 thrashing of Mumbai City in Riyadh on Friday while Al Duhail from Qatar also claimed a spot in the last 16 of the continental championship.
IMAGES from soccer matches played on Monday.
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History beckons trailblazers Bengaluru FC as they lock horns with Air Force Club of Iraq in the summit clash of AFC Cup in Doha on Saturday, aiming to become the first Indian football club to clinch a continental title. Bengaluru FC have already created history by becoming the first Indian club to qualify for the final of a continental tournament after they defeated defending champions Johor Darul Ta'zim in the semifinals on 4-2 aggregate last month. Before this, the farthest an Indian club had advanced in a continental tournament was the two AFC Cup semifinal appearances by Dempo in 2008 and East Bengal in 2013.
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi welcomed a decision from soccer's world governing body FIFA to lift a ban on hosting competitive international soccer matches at stadiums in three Iraqi cities.
Needing to overturn a 0-1 first leg defeat in their away match on September 27, Bengaluru conceded a goal in as early as the fourth minute when Nuriddin Davronov converted a penalty, to put the Tajikis 1-0 up.
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