Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) side Saif Sporting Club were very unlucky in their first international appearance as they miserably conceded 0-1 goal defeat against Maldives Premier League TC Sports Club in the first play-off and home match of the AFC Cup 2018 despite dominating for most of the proceedings at the Bangabandhu National Stadium here on Tuesday.
Kyrgyzstan forward Vlasichev Anatolii scored the match-winning goal for the Maldives team in the 23rd minute of the match by an accurate ground shot from the danger zone after beating three opponent defenders, specially the defender Topu Barman (1-0).
Satellite TV channel ATN Bangla telecasted the match live from the big bowl.
New sensation in country’s football Saif SC, which finished 4th in the just concluded Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) failed the make their first international appearance memorial spoiling at least eight good chances, four of which were foiled hitting the cross bar.
William Sheringham, Masud Miah Zony, Kingsley Chigozie and skipper Jamal Bhuiyan came closed to score but lady luck did not favored the country’s new soccer powerhouse Saif SC in front of a good number of home crowd, despite of recruiting some players from Chittagong Abahani and Mohammedan SC.
BFF and SAFF President Kazi Mohammad Salahuddin, SAFF secretary general Anwarul Haque Helal, owner of Saif SC Tarafder Ruhul Amin and AFC and BFF official Mahfuza Akhter Kiron witnessed the match.
TC Sports Club, which won the Sheikh Kamal International Club Cup title in Chittagong in March last year, will play their home match against the same team on January 30 at the National Stadium in Male with an extra advantage of 1-0 goal.
Saif SC, now had to win their away and 2nd play-off match with a good margin to reach next round of group level.
Thirteen football fans, appeared at the stadium on Tuesday, were awarded with different prizes through raffle-draw. Three of which got a free trip to the Maldives to witness the Saif SC-TC Sports match in Male.
Saif Sporting Club is the second team from Bangladesh to qualify for the AFC Cup after Federation Cup and Bangladesh Premier League champions Dhaka Abahani Limited who supposed to represent Bangladesh in the AFC Cup qualifiers directly.
In the other South Zone matches, Transport United of Bhutan scheduled to play their home match against JSW Bengaluru of India Tuesday (Jan 23) evening at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu while they will play their away match on January 30 at 8pmat the Sree Kanteerava Stadium in Bangalore.
