KATHMANDU, June 26: A-Division League winner Manang Marshyangdi Club will take on Chennaiyin FC in a bid to end the already-frustrating AFC Cup campaign with a win in Lalitpur on Wednesday.
Manang Marshyangdi, managed by Chhiring Lopsang, has not been able to win a single game in Group E, but the head coach believes his team has got what it takes to upset the 2017-18 Indian Super League (ISL) champion. Lopsang said that the team wanted to end the tournament on a good note.
“We want to end the tournament on a high note and we will have to win the match. We are playing the last match of the group at our home, and our main objective will be to do well in order to do so,” said Lopsang.
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Manang had a miserable AFC Cup campaign after a tremendous domestic league campaign. Manang, who only suffered a loss in the last game of the Martyr’s Memorial A-Division League at the hands of Friends Club, has lost three matches and drawn two. Scoring just three goals and conceding a gigantic 11 in five matches, its chances of finishing even third is mathematically over since it has a minus 8 goal difference. Lopsang further added that the 5-0 thumping by Bangladeshi club Abahani Dhaka did not drain its confidence and that the tournament has helped the team learn a lot from international football.
“The big loss against Abahani did not drain our confidence and we have learned a great many things from the other three teams. They are all professional sides and we hope we can win the game and end the tournament highly,” added Lopsang.
On the other hand, Chhenaiyin head coach John Charles Gregory said that the team is going to the match for a win and nothing less. However, he added that the team will have to be careful against Manang since it will be looking to set aside its 5-0 loss against Abahani.
“We want to win and we will be vying for three points. We hope the results in the other matches will go our way,” Englishman Gregory added, “The pressure is on us and the boys are prepared for the game, but we should be careful against Manang.”
Chhenaiyin had defeated Manang 2-0 in their corresponding fixture on April in India. In the other match on the same day, Abahani will play against Minerva Punjab, who is on the third place with five points via its five draws. Abahani, however, is at the top of the table and a point against Minerva might be able to take it through to the inter-zone playoff semifinals.
If in case Chennaiyin defeats Manang and Abahani win its game, the Indian and the Bangladeshi teams will have the same points, but Abahani has a superior goal difference.
