When the defending champions of the Bangladesh Premier League, the Bashundhara Kings, play their first-ever international club match at the home site, they will be looking to get their AFC Cup campaign back on track. Their opponent will be Odisha FC of India.
At six o’clock in the evening, the battle will get under way at the Bashundhara Kings Arena.
After suffering their first-ever defeat against a Maldivian club in their initial encounter, which they played away and lost 3-1 to Maziya S&RC, the Bangladeshi giants know that another loss would significantly limit their chances of qualifying for the knockout round for the very first time. During the press conference held before the match, Head Coach Oscar Bruzon said that his squad has put in a lot of effort to study the opponent in order to acquire the best possible outcome in this very important encounter.
We have never been eliminated from the AFC Cup after losing two matches. We have never been defeated while playing at home (in football played inside the country). The Spaniard said that “this will therefore be an excellent opportunity for us to show our reaction.”
“Coming into the match against Maziya, we had a lot of expectations, but our preparation wasn’t all that fantastic. Now that we are back, we are obligated to perform to the best of our abilities. Bruzon added, “At this point, we don’t have any excuses.”
Odisha FC, like Kings, are also heading into the contest on the heels of a significant loss prior to this matchup. They started out the season with a 4-0 loss at home against Mohun Bagan, but since then, they have gotten back on track with a 2-0 victory over Chennaiyin FC in their first game in the Indian Super League and a 2-2 draw against Mumbai City FC in their most recent encounter.
Bruzon, showing the greatest respect to the other squad, said that this battle would be a winner-take-all event for both of the teams involved.
“Just like us, Odisha is a brand new club. They started off the previous season well and are already champions of the Super Cup. They have a great coach and significant players playing in the spots that matter the most. Tomorrow, I believe that seemingly little details can make a big impact.
Bruzon went on to say that “this is a do-or-die affair for both teams because whoever loses this match will have their chances diminished.” This is because whoever loses this match will have their chances lessened.
“It’s good that we will be playing at home, in front of our own crowd,” the captain, Robson Robinho, said, echoing the feeling expressed by the coach earlier. We will spare no effort in order to secure victory in this match and maintain our position in the race for the championship.
The head coach of Odisha FC, Sergio Lobera, expressed excitement at the opportunity to compete against Bashundhara Kings.
“This game has us pumped up, and we are eager to take on the challenge that it presents. We will be competing against a strong squad in that game. The most important reason for our excitement is the fact that our club will be representing not only itself but also India in this championship; this is a huge honour for all of us. “I’m really hoping that we can pull off a successful outcome,” the Spaniard remarked.