Defending Bangladesh Premier League Champions Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club will get one last chance to keep their AFC Cup round of 16 hopes alive when they take on Selangor FA of Malaysia today in Dhaka. Jamal are yet to earn a point from their first two matches which left the Dhanmondi outfit in a must win situation while 33-time Malaysia Cup champions Selangor FA are also taking the match seriously as they could manage only one point from their previous two matches.
After a humiliating 0-4 defeat against Tampines Rovers of Singapore in the first match Jamal continued their poor form by losing 0-2 against Ceres La Salle FC of Malaysia at home on March 8.
Jamal coach Shafiqul Islam Manik asked his charges to give their best in the last home match as the veteran coach admitted that they failed to offer any challenge to their previous two opponents.
‘Tomorrow [today] is our last match at home. We have our backs against the wall. The time for practice is over, now we need to rectify the mistakes. I hope I will get 100 per cent from my players tomorrow [today],’ Manik told during a pre-match press conference on Monday.
‘I am trying to motivate and field the players who are the best. We have many difficulties. But we are taking the challenges.
‘I have always said that all the other sides are better and better prepared than us.’
Selangor coach Zainal Abidin Hassan believes his charges will overcome the Jamal challenge to seal their first win today.
‘We have already played two games and collected one point. So, chance is still open of playing well and get three points,’ said the former Malaysian forward.
‘The same is with the home team, who need the three points badly. So tomorrow [today] will be a tough match for both teams to run their show in the Cup.’
Selangor’s best result in the AFC Cup was to play quarter-final in 2006 and qualified for the round of 16 in 2013 which put them in the hot seat before the group stage start.
‘On paper, we seemed favourites to qualify for the next round, but unfortunately due to certain reasons we are lagging behind and are not performing up to the mark,’ said the coach.
‘But we know about our chances. We’ve got to do much better in the last three games to qualify.’
-With New Age input
