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AFC President's Cup in Malaysia

Abahani leave today

Sports Reporter
Abahani will leave Dhaka this afternoon for Kuala Lumpur to participate in the AFC President's Cup, which will see the Bangladesh professional league champions' return to a continental club competition after almost 12 years.
Abahani, who last participated in the now-defunct AFC Cup Winners' Cup in the mid-90s, will be pitted against Nepal Police Club from Nepal, Pakistan's WAPDA and Tajikistan champions Regar-TadAZ in Group A.
The qualification campaign will kick off on June 22 in the Malaysian capital with only the group champions guaranteed a place in the^ semifinals.
Dordoi-Dynamo -- two-time defending champions from Kyrgyzstan who host the semifinals and the final in capital Bishkek from September 19-21 -- and Turkmenistan's Ashgabad have already booked their places in the semifinals as Group B and C winners respectively.
The Central Asian pair will be joined by Group A winners and the best runners-up of the three groups.
Kanbawza of Myanmar are strong contenders for the last four spot for
the best runners-up, having finished in Group C with six points with a handsome goal difference of 11.
Abahani will need to win their group or finish second with at least seven points to topple Kanbawza and coach Amalesh Sen knows it would be a difficult task with favourites Regar and last year's finalists Nepal Police in the group.
"The first match would be crucial for us," said Amalesh, whose side take on the Nepalese in their opening match on June 22.
"We have had a disrupted preparation and as coach, I am not 100 percent satisfied," Amalesh told on the eve of their trip. "We started preparation in April when the tournament was supposed to be held in Dhaka but it was delayed. We restarted in May but after that, I lost nine players for the national team camp for the SAFF Championship.
"I trained with just ten players and got the rest only after the SAFE I had my full team for just two days. So, it is difficult to say how they would gel in the opening match. Nepal are a strong and fast side with many national players," added the former national midfielder, who will take 19 footballers.
‘Moreover, my midfield could be depleted as Joy and Abul are doubtfill starters due to injuries. I didn't pick them for our preparation match in Narayanganj on Tuesday. If they do not get fully fit, it would be a problem for us.
"The only advantage I have is that al my players have been with us for two years and they have nice understanding," said the coach who prefers a 4-4-2 formation.
Abahani are defence-heavy with as many as eight defenders in the side.
"Sujan played on Tuesday but he also picked up a minor injury. Still, I have many centraldefenders to choose from. ’
Abahani have two foreigners — Ghanaian striker Ibrahim and defender Yousaf - for the tour.
"Our target is to win the group and I hope that the weather in Kuala Lumpur would suite us at this time."
Abahani will face Regar-TadAZ on June 24 and WAPDA on June 26.
Apart from coach Amalesh, manager Satyajit Das Rupu, the assistant coach and a physician, a number of officials will make the trip.
SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Biplab, Tarek; defenders: Siraji, Obaidur, Sujan, Pradeep, Nazrul, Sony, Waly, Yousaf; midfielders: Joy, Pranotosh, Abul, Zahed Parvez, Ujjal, Mamun; forwards: Emily, Tipu and Ibrahim.