Match Preview: Tampines Rovers vs East Bengal – AFC Cup

Stadium: Jalan Besar Stadium, SingaporeKick-off: Wednesday, April 3, 17:15 IST

Must-Win Clash

Having crashed out of the group stage last year, Singapore champions Tampines Rovers were determined to perform much better in the AFC Cup this time but they got off to the worst possible start as they lost 2-3 at home to Vietnam’s Sai Gon Xuan Thanh. The S-League holders showed great character on matchday two to come from behind thrice and draw 3-3 away at Malaysia’s Selangor, and now would be looking to build on that result by taking all three points against East Bengal.

It is very much a must-win game for Tampines Rovers as two of their last three matches are away, and thus they can’t afford to drop points for the second straight home game. Despite their struggles in the continent, Tampines have made the perfect start on the domestic front as they lifted the Charity Shield and lead the S-League table with maximum points from their first six matches, scoring 14 and conceding only twice. With the S-League only having started in February, the Singapore club’s squad is physically in a much better shape compared to East Bengal, who are now at the business end of a long and tiring campaign.

Nicknamed as the ‘Stags’, Tampines have a good mixture of foreign and local talent with five of their players being part of the Singapore national team’s last international match. Legendary striker Aleksandar Duric, who retired from international football last year, is still going strong at the age of 42, having scored in the club’s first two AFC Cup games. Yugoslavia-born midfielder Fahrudin Mustafic is the club captain and still part of the Singapore national team.

The four-time S-League champions signed Singapore internationals Shahdan Sulaiman and Khairul Amri for the new season while Argentinean striker Martin Wagner was their biggest foreign recruit. Croatian goalkeeper Sasa Dreven, Japanese defender Kunihiro Yamashita and Serbian attacking midfielder Sead Hadzibulic are their other registered foreigners for the AFC Cup. Tampines have lived up to the pre-season expectations of dominating the S-League and thus remain on course for a third-straight domestic crown. But failure to get past the AFC Cup group stage for the second straight campaign will just not be good enough, and they must be looking to make the most of their home advantage and beat India’s Cup holders.

Solid Start

The build-up to this game hasn’t been good for East Bengal as they threw a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with Prayag United in their last I-League encounter, a result that derailed their title challenge. Gurpreet Sandhu’s middle finger gesture towards the fans after getting abused for his howler in the match just added to the frustration. Although the youngster was excluded from the squad that made the trip to Singapore, there was more bad news for the club as coach Trevor Morgan hinted before leaving for Singapore that he could part ways with the club at the end of this season. Many fans are understandably upset with that news and the players might also be affected one way or the other.

That is why this AFC Cup game might have come at the right time as the whole squad can forget about the pressure of the title race and focus on building on the solid start that they have made in the continent after the first two games. With four points from the opening two matchdays, East Bengal couldn’t have wished for a better start, and they could increase their chances of reaching the knockout stage if they manage a positive result in Singapore.

Despite Gurpreet’s mistake against Prayag, the 21-year-old has had an excellent season and kept clean sheets in the first two games of the AFC Cup. The experienced Abhijit Mondal, who reached the semifinals with Dempo in 2008, will be his replacement but the 35-year-old also has made some errors this season.

The goalless draw against Sai Gon Xuan Thanh on matchday two ended East Bengal’s 10-match losing streak in AFC Cup away matches, but they still haven’t won on their travels for 11 games. Morgan won’t mind if that run extends to 12 if they manage to earn a point because two of their last three games will be on home soil. The concern for the English coach will be fatigue, as this will be their 49th match of the season, but on the plus side, the red-and-gold brigade don’t have any I-League match at the weekend with their next game being the reverse fixture against Tampines Rovers in Kolkata. East Bengal haven’t gone past the group stage since their first appearance in the AFC Cup in 2004, but that could change this season if they manage to avoid defeat against the Singapore champions.

Form Guide

Tampines Rovers: DWWWW

The Singapore club have been in red hot form domestically with four straight wins, and all those victories have come after that 3-3 draw with Selangor in the AFC Cup. The Stags though are aiming to end a four-game win-less streak in home AFC Cup matches and faced Mohun Bagan in 2007, drawing the game in Kolkata and winning the home fixture.

East Bengal: DWLDD

The only win in the last five matches came in a penalty shootout against arch-rivals Mohun Bagan, so East Bengal haven’t won a game in 90 minutes for five consecutive games now. Their only other away match against a Singapore opposition produced a 3-2 win over Geylang United in 2004, but that match was played in Hong Kong.

Key Men

Tampines Rovers: Khairul Amri

Amri (No.19 in Red)

The 28-year-old experienced striker is in his second spell at Tampines Rovers and has made a great start with four goals in eight games in all competitions. Amri scored his first-ever international goal against India nine years ago, and would be determined to get on the scoresheet in this game also.

East Bengal: Edeh Chidi

Edeh Chidi

The Nigerian has been the I-League’s best striker in the second half of the season and instrumental in East Bengal’s title challenge, with 16 goals. But Chidi failed to find the back of the net in the two AFC Cup games and thus will be aiming to score in this clash and inspire his team to a positive result.