Six-time Bangladesh Premier League Football champions Dhaka Abahani Limited will face April 25 Sporting Club (4.25) of North Korea in their home match of the knockout phase of AFC Cup 2019 today (Wednesday), reports UNB.
The match will kick off at 06:45pm (BdST) at Bangabandhu National Stadium.
The popular Dhanmomdi-based outfit reached home and away basis knockout phase for the first time as the champions of four-team Group E securing 13 points from six matches with four wins, one draw and one defeat.
In the home and away basis group stage, Dhaka Abahani beat Manang Marshyangdi Club of Nepal by 1-0 goal in Kathmandu on April 03 and played to 2-2 draw with Minerva Punjab of India in their second match in Dhaka on April 17.
Abahani conceded the lone defeat to Chennaiyin FC of India by 0-1 goals in their third match in Ahmedabad on April 30.
To keep their hope for becoming the Group E champions alive, the Sky Blue Brigade defeated Chennaiyin by 3-2 goals in their fourth match on June 15 and crushed Manang by 5-0 goals in their fifth match on June 19, both in Dhaka.
In the last and sixth group match, they beat Minerva by 1-0 goal in Guwahati on June 26.
On the other hand, DPR Korea League champions April 25 SC reached for the third time in knockout phase of AFC Cup as Group I champions securing 15 points from six matches with five wins and one defeat.
April 25 started their campaign beating Taiwanese club Hang Yuen FC by 3-0 goals in Hsinchu, Taiwan on April 03, beat Hong Kong-based Kitchee SC by 2-0 goals in their second match in Pyongyang on April 17 and another Hong Kong-based clubs Wofoo Tai Po by 3-1 goals in their third match in Hong Kong on April 30.
The DPR Korea League champions continued their winning streak beating Wofoo Tai Po by 4-0 goals on May 15 and crushing Hang Yuen FC by 5-0 goals on June 19, both in Pyongyang.
April 25 SC conceded their lone defeat to Kitchee by 0-1 goal in their last and sixth match in Hong Kong on June 26.
Abahani Head Coach Mario Lemos said they are determined to continue their fairy-tale run.
"We had two weeks for preparation after the BPL. Today's (Wednesday's) match is very tough and we're taking it seriously.
Our team is ready for the match. It's a final for us and we've to win the game," he said in a pre-match press conference at BFF house on Tuesday.
Abahani got few blows as their two players - Alaaeldin Nasr Elsayed Eissa and Mamunul Islam - are going to miss the today's match.
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