With an aim to achieve the title, Bangladesh Premier Football League champions Sheikh Jamal and Abahani Limited will leave here for Bhutan today to take part in the King’s Cup which is scheduled to kick off at Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu this Saturday.
Sheikh Jamal will leave the country in the morning and will first go to Kolkata before flying to Bhutan while four-time professional league champions Abahani will fly directly to Thimphu in the afternoon.
Both the Dhanmondi-based clubs have set their main target to return home as champions. Sheikh Jamal began their preparation camp a month ago while Abahani started their camp three weeks ago. The traditional Sky Blues, who are treating this tournament as preparation for the new season, have been boosted by the arrival of Ghanaian defender Samad Yusuf.
“As the Federation Cup will get underway on December 19, we are going to play in this tournament as preparation period for the upcoming season. We did practise for three weeks which is not enough but the condition and fitness of the players are not bad. If they remain fit and adapt to the new conditions quickly and utilise their chances, I expect us to do well,” said Abahani manager Satyajit Das Rupu yesterday.
Abahani have been pitted in Group B alongside India’s Assam Electricity, Nepal’s A-Division league champions Manang Marshyangdi Club, Osotspa FC from Thailand and Bhutanese club Ugyen Academy. Rupu said their toughest opponents are expected to be the Thai club that had defeated the Bangladesh football team in a practice match last year.
The new shape of Abahani team is a mixture of youth and experience. Their latest signing Victory Anthony and Guinean striker Ismael Bangoura, along with national striker Wahed Ahmed, will lead the forward line while Obam Henry, Samad Yousuf, Arif and Nahid are likely to shore up the defence.
Sheikh Jamal on the other hand have been placed in Group A with Indian league side Mohun Bagan, Druk United from Bhutan and Nakhon Ratchasing Mazda from Thailand. Sheikh Jamal are targeting nothing but a title win with a star-studded squad at their disposal.
“The team are in very good shape. We have been training for a month and the players are doing great. Our main target is to come out as champions. If we give our best on the pitch and play as a unit we will make it,” said Sheikh Jamal coach Maruful Haque yesterday.
Sheikh Jamal, however, defeated Mohun Bagan in the IFA Shield earlier this year but this time their last-season’s best player Haitian forward Sony Norde will be playing for the Indian side.
Sheikh Jamal have some good news at last as previous season’s top scorer Emeka Darlington arrived in Dhaka and joined the club last Monday although he is yet to regain his match fitness.
