KRL face Dordoi in AFC Cup opener tomorrow

Aim is to finish in second place, says coach Lutfi.

KARACHI: KRL will take on former champions Kyrgyzstan’s Dordoi Dynamo FC in the opening match as the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) President’s Cup gets underway in the Philippines tomorrow.

This would be KRL’s third appearance in the third-tier club tournament — their best result so far has been reaching the second round of the event.

According to coach Tariq Lutfi, the players are ready and perfecting their strategies to ensure a win against Dordoi Dynamo FC to set the tone for the rest of the tournament.

“It’s always important to win the first match,” Lutfi told The Express Tribune. “The aim is to at least finish at second place in the group so that we can progress to the next round. After a month of training and playing different matches in Rawalpindi, I believe the team can beat any side.”



KRL will also face debutants and hosts Global FC of Philippines on May 10 before taking on Bhutanese club Yeedzin FC on May 12 to conclude the group stage in Cebu. KRL need to win at least two out of three matches in order to qualify for the next round.

KRL captain Samar Ishaq was confident of his team doing well. “Dordoi Dynamo FC will have an advantage because their players have seen us play at the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers in March where we lost to Kyrgyzstan,” said Ishaq. “Global FC will be the home team so of course they have an advantage. But I believe we can easily defeat Yeezdin FC in our last match.”

The AFC President’s Cup is featuring four teams in three groups and the top two sides from each pool will play the last stage in September.

Meanwhile, coach Khalid Butt, who led former champions Wapda to the semi-finals of the AFC President’s Cup in 2009, believed KRL were capable enough to advance to the next round.

“KRL are depending too much on the Chaman-based players, who are more about speed rather than technique,” said Butt. “Wapda had more skilful players back in the day. But I still believe that KRL can at least reach the semi-finals of the tournament this year. Their players have enough exposure by now.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 7^th, 2013.