Kuala Lumpur: It’s do or die in the Central and South Zones of the AFC Cup on Wednesday with four teams fighting it out for two Inter-Zone Semi-final places, while the group stage action in the East Zone also draws to a close.
Groups D and E remain on a knife-edge with the top two sides in each facing off in winner-takes-all encounters. The three-team Group I, meanwhile, has already been decided ahead of the one remaining fixture.
Group D
Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol and Altyn Asyr of Turkmenistan have remained neck and neck throughout the Group D campaign and sit on 13 points apiece with the victor in Dushanbe on Wednesday to progress to the Inter-Zone Semi-finals.
FC Istiklol, who welcome Amirbek Juraboev back from suspension, boast the superior goal difference and would progress with a 1-1 or scoreless draw. A high-scoring draw, though, would see the Turkmens advance but they are without suspended duo Altymyrat Annadurdyyev and Akmyrat Jumanazarov.
Elsewhere, FC Alay welcome Dordoi FC in an all Kyrgyz Republic affair with the hosts looking for their first points of the tournament. Alia Sylla’s sending off last week leaves the forward out for the home side, while Kursanbek Sheratov returns for the visitors.
FC Alay (KGZ) v Dordoi FC (KGZ)
Venue: Akhmatbek Suyinbaev Stadium, Osh
Kick-off: May 31, 16:00 UTC+6
FC Istiklol (TJK) v Altyn Asyr (TKM)
Venue: Republican Central Stadium, Dushanbe
Kick-off: May 31, 20:00 UTC+5
Group E
Maziya Sports & Recreation of the Maldives travel to India’s JSW Bengaluru on Wednesday needing to avoid defeat to advance to the AFC Cup knockout rounds for the first time in their history.
The table-topping visitors have claimed four wins from five to leapfrog the 2016 runners-up, who have lost their last two games but will top the group with a victory and welcome John Johnson and Harmanjot Singh back from suspension.
Bangladesh’s Abahani Limited Dhaka, who have Nasir Chowdhury available after suspension, round off their maiden campaign with a home tie against Mohun Bagan and will look to claim back-to-back home wins over the Indian teams in the group.
JSW Bengaluru (IND) v Maziya Sports & Recreation (MDV)
Venue: Sree Kanteerava Stadium, Bangalore
Kick-off: May 31, 19:15 UTC+5:30
Abahani Limited Dhaka (BAN) v Mohun Bagan (IND)
Venue: Bangabandhu National Stadium, Dhaka
Kick-off: May 31, 19:45 UTC+6
Group I
No such drama in Group I, though, where DPR Korea side 4.25 SC wrapped up their Inter-Zone Semi-final place with a 5-0 victory at Mongolia’s Erchim FC two weeks ago.
That leaves second-place Kigwancha SC, also of DPR Korea, and Erchim with only pride to play for ahead of the final group outing in Pyongyang on Wednesday.
Should the hosts win they will draw level on points with their compatriots but miss out on qualification due to an inferior head-to-head record, while the visitors will look to record their first points of the campaign.
Kigwancha SC (PRK) v Erchim FC (MNG)
Venue: Kim II Sung Stadium, Pyongyang
Kick-off: May 31, 15:00 UTC+8:30
Photo: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com