'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Bengaluru FC vs Istiklol, AFC Cup 2017 Inter-Zone Final
Venue: Hisor Central Stadium, Hisor
Date: 27th September 2017
Time: 7.30 pm IST
Where to watch it live: AFC Cup official Facebook page live streaming
Last year's AFC Cup runners-up Bengaluru FC will face the Tajikistan champions FC Istiklol on 27th September in the AFC Cup 2017 Inter-zone final. Bengaluru FC reached this stage after winning 3-0 on aggregate against North Korean outfit April 25 Sports Club. The first leg of the Inter-Zone semi-finals had witnessed a great performance by Bengaluru FC when Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh and Lenny Rodrigues scored one goal each.
The result in the previous round means Bengaluru FC will now face the Tajikistan champions, FC Istiklol, tomorrow in the capital city Dushanbe in the first leg. The Blues welcome them to their home ground of the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on October 18th. The challenge is going to be a rather tough one, as FC Istiklol have won their fourth consecutive league title last weekend, and the last defeat they suffered was in September last year. This must have surely boosted Istiklol's confidence and morale as a dominant team, and Bengaluru FC need to be on the lookout.
Blues head coach Albert Roca has made only a single change in the 18-member squad by replacing Joyner Lourenco with Zohmingliana Ralte. The prospects look good for Bengaluru as the addition of Gurpreet Singh Sandhu proved to be rewarding in the faceoff versus April 25 after Amrinder Singh left for Mumbai City FC.
FC Istiklol entered the 2015 AFC Cup final in what was their tournament debut. They will be extremely confident about putting forward their best foot this time around with Bengaluru FC, given their magnificent form in the run-up to this game.
On the other hand, Bengaluru would try to maintain a clean sheet and possibly sneak in a crucial goal. If they overpower Istiklol over the two legs, they would make it into the AFC Cup final for the second consecutive season. Another good news is that this time, they have a chance of hosting the final as well.
Here is the Bengaluru FC squad that features the eleven who step onto the pitch in Dushanbe tomorrow to face the Tajikistan champions.
Goalkeepers
Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Lalthuammawia Ralte
Defenders
Rahul Bheke, Subhasish Bose, Zohmingliana Ralte, Collin Abranches, Juanan Gonzalez, Nishu Kumar
Midfielders
Erik Paartalu, Dimas Delgado, Antonio Dovale, Lenny Rodrigues, Alwyn George, Harmanjot Khabra, Malsawmzuala
Strikers
Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh, Daniel Lalhlimpuia
Predicted Bengaluru FC XI: Rahul Bheke, Juanan, Lenny Rodrigues, Dimas, Harmanjot Khabra, Sunil Chhetri, Udanta Singh, Nishu Kumar, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Erik Paartalu, Toni Dovale
Predicted FC Istiklol XI: Stosic, Nazarov, Asrorov, Baranovskyi, Stetsenko, Fatkhulloev, Mawutor, Juraboev, Dzalilov, Dzhalilov, Barkov
