Country’s football powerhouse Bashundhara Kings left Dhaka for India on Saturday morning with a high hope when they will play their last match of AFC Cup in Group D.
It is a vital match for the Kings, if they could cross the last hurdle of Odisha FC, for the first time they would advance to the next round.
The match will take place at Kalinga Stadium, Bhubaneswar City, India on Monday.
Bangladesh Premier League Champions are leading the four-team Group D with 10 points from five outings with three wins, one draw and a defeat with second-placed Odisha FC are closely following them with nine points.
Kings need only a draw to emerge group champions to advance to the zonal semifinals for the first time after failing to in their last two attempts when they had finished behind Mohun Bagan. But this time they crossed the stiff hurdle of Mohun Bagan Super Giants comfortably with a draw in away match and defeating at home ground of the Indian powerhouses.
However, Kings have a good news before leaving the country when the captain Robson came round of his injuries when the playmaker and their key performer could not play in the last match of AFC Cup against Maziya Sports and Recreation Club of Maldives and the quarter final of the Independence Cup at home ground.
All the players are fit and everyone is ready to give their best in the crucial match against Odisha FC when there are also no card complications.
In 2021 and 2022, Kings had difficult equations going into their last group matches, as they needed wins in the then their respective games and this time they need only a draw.
However, this time Kings have it in their hands ahead of Monday’s do or die encounter in Bhuvneshwar against hosts Odisha FC, who were beaten by 3-2 at Bashundhara Kings Arena Stadium in Dhaka in October 2.
Meanwhile, Kings had made a poor start in the AFC Cup with losing 3-1 against Maziya S & RC but since then the team have remained unbeaten, demonstrating some impressive performances in last four matches to lead the group.
