Bengaluru FC reached the AFC Cup final but lost to Iran in the title clash. (Source: Reuters)
Three months after they last played a continental match, Bengaluru FC will resume their AFC Cup campaign on Wednesday when they take on North Korean giants April 25 Sports Club in the inter-zonal semifinal. However, this will be a very different Bengaluru side compared to the one that played in the group stages.
After moving from I-League to the Indian Super League, Bengaluru had to dissolve their entire squad to meet the latter’s requirements. After retaining a couple of players, including striker Sunil Chhetri, they had to rebuild their team in the ISL draft last month. All this left coach Albert Roca with very little time to prepare for Wednesday’s clash.
The Blues will be without the services of talismanic defender John Johnson, who is away for personal reasons, and Braulio Nobrega, who isn’t part of the squad. The biggest addition to the squad was made last week when they signed goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu from Norwegian side Stabaek. Sandhu is set to play his first club match in India since leaving East Bengal in 2013. And he will have his task cut-out.
April 25 have scored 14 goals in their four group stage matches while conceded just three. They have traveled with a young side, with an average age of less than 23. Their star performer has been 22-year-old striker Kim Yu-Song, who has has netted nine goals so far from four matches – more than what Bengaluru have managed so far this season (seven).
The stakes are high. If Bengaluru win this two-legged tie – return leg will be played on September 13 in Pyongyang – they will take on the winner of the other inter-zone semifinals play-off between FC Istiklol of Tajikistan and ASEAN Zonal champion in the inter-zone final. The winner of the inter-zone final will take on the winner of the west Asian zone final between reigning champions Air Force Club of Iraq and Al Wahda of Syria in the grand finale.
