Needing a win to keep their hopes of making the knockout stages for a fourth straight season alive, Bengaluru Fchost Aizawl FC in a crucial AFC Cup game here tomorrow.
A shock 2-0 defeat to New Radiant in the Maldiveslast week meant Bengaluru's chances to make the zonal semifinal of the tournament don't entirely rest in their hands.
CoachAlbert Roca's Blues will have to win both of their remaining two fixtures in Group E while hoping that the Maldivian side drop points at least once.
"We are in a situation where we could finish the group stages with 15 points and still find ourselves out of the Cup. But that's how Footballis sometimes and we need to accept it and focus on getting our side of the job done and then hope for the best," said the Spaniard.
Wins in the next two games for both Bengaluru Fcand New Radiant would leave the clubs square on points but a superior head-to-head goal difference gives Oscar Bruzon's side the edge they need to progress in the tournament.
Roca, who had to watch an uncharacteristically bland Bengaluru Fcperformance in the Maldivesfrom the stands at the National Stadium, will be back on the touchline having served a one-game suspension.
And he admits the team will have to do more than just shake off everything from that game.
"It was more disappointing than frustrating to watch the way we played last week. We didn't turn up and were made to suffer. But there's no time to discuss the defeat. We need to react with a strong performance that gives us the best chance to progress."
When the two sides met in Guwahati early in April, Bengaluru Fccame away 3-1 winners after conceding early. It hasn't exactly been a comfortable welcome to life in continental Footballfor the Santosh Kashyap-coached side who, with one point from four games, are bottom of the table.
Bengaluru, meanwhile, will have Spanish striker Daniel Segoviaback in contention after an Injuryforced him to miss the trip to Male.
"Segovia's return gives us more options in attack and given our situation, we need goals to finish the game off. Of course, it's going to take a collective effort over two games to pull us over the line," said Roca.
In the group's other game, New Radiant host third-placed Abahani Dhakain an early kick-off and while Roca admits that the team will have an eye on how the game ends, he's certain it won't affect Bengaluru's intent when they take the pitch.
"It's unfortunate that we have to depend on other results to go our way. But like I've said before, we need to fix as much as we can and that will happen when we put on a performance that this team is capable of.
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