Md Anwar Ullah: Uncertainty looms large over the resumption of AFC Cup qualifying matches on schedule with the cancellation of the draw of nine groups by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). The draw was scheduled to be held on Thursday.
“We came to know that at the last moment the AFC cancelled the draw as no country is willing to be the hosts due to the restrictions in flight operations with different countries for coronavirus pandemic,” said Imrul Hassan, president of Bashundhara Kings, which is representing Bangladesh in the tournament.
Kings, the Bangladesh club champions, meanwhile, have added another feather to their wings signing up three Latin American booters with the aim to win the competition at their debut appearance.
In their Group-E maiden match, the club made a flying start with a 5-0 win against TC Sports Club of The Maldives, and they hired the three Latin booters only to multiply their strength ahead of the remaining qualifying round matches slated for October 23 and November 4.
“We have already signed up a couple of young Brazilian and experienced Harnan Barcos of Argentina to give our team a real shape, but it has become uncertain whether the rest of matches will take place as per the schedule,” said the Bashundhara Kings president, while talking to the Independent on Thursday.
Imrul continued: “We have already played our first match and have an impressive 5-0 win over TC Sports Club of The Maldives but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the AFC and the FIFA to postpone all the matches.”
With the apparent improvement of the pandemic situation in many parts of the world, the AFC later announced a fresh schedule for Group E matches — October 23 and November 4 — in The Maldives, a common venue instead of the traditional home and away format, he added.
“With a dream to clinch the trophy, we also tried to form a stronger team and therefore inducted two young Brazilians and an experienced Argentine after releasing Costa Rican Daniel Colindres, Argentine Nicolas Delmonte, Baktiyar of Kyrgyzstan and Nazarov of Tajikistan.”
The Bashundhara Kings president further said: “We still have the option to recruit another foreign player on Asian quota, so we are trying to bring a quality booter from high profile Asian football nations”.
In response to a query, he said, ‘The schedule of the matches may defer, but we will continue with our training to keep the team always ready”. Source: The Independent
