What’s the story?
In a news of huge relief for both the Indian national team as well as Bengaluru FC, captain Sunil Chhetri has been declared fit to play the Blues’ AFC Cup tie against Maziya later today.
Bengaluru manager Albert Roca announced the influential forward’s availability ahead of his team's last group stage fixture: “Sunil [Chhetri] and [CK] Vineeth are ready for tomorrow. Only Udanta [Singh] is out.”
While pacey winger Udanta will be missed, the presence of Chhetri on the pitch today will be a big boost for Roca’s men.
The context
Bengaluru need a win against Maldivian champions Maziya to progress into the inter-zone playoff semi-finals. The Blues are three points adrift of Maziya in Group E. Although a win will only take them level on points with today’s opponents, a better head-to-head record means Bengaluru have a slight advantage.
The Kanteerava Stadium went the full distance in the AFC Cup last year when Bengaluru made the final and will hope to run a similar race this time out as well.
The heart of the matter
Chhetri limped off in a Federation Cup group stage match against Mohun Bagan, prompting widespread dissent towards the scheduling and hosting of India’s premier cup competition.
The 32-year-old was expected to remain on the sidelines for a sizeable period of time, therefore his recovery has come as a surprise.
What’s next?
The match today kicks off at 7.15 PM Indian Standard Time. With Chhetri back, not only will Bengaluru stand to benefit, but also the Indian national team. India will play Nepal in a friendly on 6th June before their AFC Asian Cup qualifier against the Kyrgyz Republic on 13th June. Chhetri has been called up for those two games, and his return from injury bodes well for both club and country ahead of key matches.
Author’s take
With Chhetri back, the Kanteerava will be at its vociferous best today. Bengaluru are in a must-win situation, and what’s better than seeing the captain make a comeback?
Maziya, however, have not lost any of their three AFC Cup group stage games since losing 1-0 in the reverse fixture, hence it will not be an easy ride for the Blues today. With only the group winners progressing, a lot is at stake but Chhetri’s return has given Bengaluru a big fillip.
