Sports
MMC count on home comfort in Cup clash against Abahani
Manang Marshyangdi Club face a tough fight when they play Abahani Dhaka in the first Group ‘E’ match of the AFC Cup, Asia’s second-tier club competition, at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato on Wednesday.Prajwal Oli
Manang Marshyangdi Club face a tough fight when they play Abahani Dhaka in the first Group ‘E’ match of the AFC Cup, Asia’s second-tier club competition, at the ANFA Complex in Satdobato on Wednesday.
MMC are the top-tier league champions of Nepal and Abahani the Bangladesh Premier League winners. While MMC are the record seven-time ‘A’ Division League champions, Abahani have won the top-tier Bangladeshi league for a record six times. Both teams are gunning to kick start with a victory in the group which also include India’s I-League champions Minerva Punjab and ISL runners-up Chenniyin FC.
MMC are representing Nepal for the first time in the continental event while it is third year in a row for Abahani, coached by Portuguese Mario Licino. Abahani competed in the 2017 and 2018 but they failed to cross the group stage on both occasions. “We had sound preparations,” said the Portuguese, whose team currently occupy second place in BPL, on Tuesday. “We have big expectations and came here with a lot of energy and motivations,” he said.
“I have seen MMC game and also closely watched Nepal’s performance in the SAFF Championship,” said Licino whose team is studded with seven Bangladeshi national players apart from four influential foreigners. Abahani skipper cum goalkeeper Shahidul Alam Sohel said they were determined to pass the first hurdle having crashed out of the group stages on two occasions.
MMC coach Chhiring Lopsang Gurung said: “First match is always tough but we are looking for all three points. Our target is to finish on top of the table and qualify for the next round,” said Lopsang whose team has loaned in Nepal Police Club midfielder cum forward Avishek Rijal and Chyasal Youth Club defender Devendra Tamang to bolster their squad for tournament.
Despite the coach’s tall claims, his team did not have enough preparations as almost half their squad members were under national team duties, some for the U-23 team that played international friendly against Kuwait on March 21 and 25 and some others for the AFC U-23 Championship Qualifier on March 22-26. “All the players may not have been together for a longer duration but still we had a really sound preparations ever since their arrival from the national duties,” said Lopsang. “We are banking on the home advantage to beat the opponent,” said Lopsang predicting the match to be a tight affair.
MMC captain Biraj Maharjan, also the skipper of the national team, said that his team was well prepared to take on the Bangladeshi outfits. “We trust in our potential and hopefully come out of the match with all three points,” he said. MMC will be counting on their Nigerian forward Olawale Afeez and Adelaja Somide to produce goals. Afeez was the highest scorer for MMC in the league with seven goals to his credit. MMC’s newly signed defender Azeez Saheed will miss the match due to double yellow he picked up during 2014 President’s Cup final rounds while he was with MMC. India Muhammed Asif will be recruited as central defender.
Abahani will also be counting on their Nigerian forward Sunday Chizoba and home grown Nabib Newaz Jibon to fire for them. Both are in best form with Chizoba scoring eight games in the last 10 matches of BPL and Jibon netting six times. Abahani are expected field all four foreign recruits including Brazilian midfielder Wellington Priori and Afghani defender Masih Saighani.