Kolkata, Sept. 18 -- Like in the Indian Super League (ISL) last term or the Asian Champions League 2 this season, Mohun Bagan Super Giant started with a stutter. The ISL campaign, where Mohun Bagan began with one win from three matches, was repaired by head coach Jose Molina restructuring the line-up. Getting back on rails in Asia following Tuesday's 0-1 defeat to Ahal FK could need something similar. Mohun Bagan's next two matches are away, to Iran's Sepahan, who finished second in the league in 2024-25, and Jordan Pro League champions Al Hussein. This looks like a mountain to climb. The shot from Enver Annayev -- he had played for Turkmenistan's Arkadag when they beat East Bengal in the Challenge League -- that arrowed into the far post in the 83rd minute was the night's only goal but by then the visiting team had got Mohun Bagan's number. Magtymberdi Berenov, whom Annayev replaced, had come close before that. His shot in the 31st minute, following a neat exchange of passes with Elman Tagayev and Hakmuhammet Bashimov, grazed the upright. When Berenov went again in the 57th minute, Vishal Kaith flew to his right to keep out the effort from range. At the pre-match media conference, Ahal FK's coach Eziz Annamuhammedov had said he was confident that the home team would have to watch out for a number of their players. His team, without any foreign player but with a host of national team regulars, walked the talk silencing the 41,003 who had fetched up at Salt Lake stadium which, after the Durand Cup defeat to East Bengal, is not a fortress anymore for the ISL double winners. The loss to East Bengal was also the last match Mohun Bagan had played. Their opponents had players who did duty in the CAFA Nations Cup and have been part of the Yokary Liga, Turkmenistan's league which had begun in March. Molina was asked on Monday whether that would make a difference. "We'll see," he had said. Ahal ended with more possession (57%), more shots (12) and more shots on target (5). They played 506 passes to Mohun Bagan's 377. Ahal managed the match better, disrupted Mohun Bagan's momentum, had done their research on Bagan - proof of which was how right wingback Bashimov shackled Liston Colaco - and always had an extra player in midfield. For all their attacking firepower replete with former World Cup players from Australia, Mohun Bagan look a foreign central defensive midfielder short. Mohun Bagan looked better going forward when Molina switched from 4-2-3-1 to 4-4-2 with Jamie Maclaren and Anirudh Thapa coming on in the 58th minute. Their best chance came in the 69th minute when Thapa unlocked the midfield and found Jason Cummings, who squared to Maclaren. Goalkeeper Berdiyev Kakageldi scotched the scoring opportunity by getting big on the Australian who has the most goals in A-League history. That was Mohun Bagan's only shot on target. Two minutes earlier, Cummings had shot out after Maclaren did well to hook one back. In the 80th minute, Sahal Abdul Samad cushioned a crossfield ball from Robson Robinho but dragged the shot wide. Like in the inter-zonal final of AFC Cup in 2021, which ATK Mohun Bagan had lost 0-6 to FC Nasaf, Bagan looked rusty. Cummings ballooning one in the first half, Lalengmawia Ralte not looking comfortable in possession, Kaith's pass kicked to touch and Colaco's inability to deliver crosses that could beat the first defender were all proof of a lack of game time. Hindsight is a wonderful thing but it can be said that keeping players away from international duty didn't prove to be prudent at a time when there was no football at home....