Dempo will have to win or at least draw 2-2 to advance
Home United and Dempo had drawn the first leg
New Delhi: I-League champion Dempo, hoping to become the first Indian club to make it to the semifinals of the AFC Cup, would look to make amends for its profligacy in Hyderabad when it takes on Home United in the quarterfinal return leg tie in Singapore on Tuesday.
Dempo squandered a golden opportunity to win the first leg in Hyderabad.
It dominated the encounter could mange only a 1-1 draw. It can ill-afford to repeat that performance at the Jalan Besar Stadium.
Strikers have to fire
“My strikers will have to convert the chances that come their way,” Dempo coach Armando Colaco said from Goa just before departing for Singapore.
Dempo will have to win or at least draw 2-2 to make it to the last four stage of the competition. A goalless draw will see the Singapore side through on away goal rule.
In case the match finishes 1-1 in regulation time, the issue will have to be settled in extra time as both sides will be on even keel on goal difference and away goals.
If the game is tied 1-1 even after extra time, penalty shootout will have to be enforced.
Ranty Martins and Mboyo Iyomi will have to utilise the service provided by Roberto Mendes Silva and Climax Lawrence.
Away win
Armando Colaco’s charges would do well to take inspiration from their 2-1 away win in the preliminary round over 2006 AFC Cup runner-up and this edition’s quarterfinalist, Al Muharraq of Bahrain, that put them on track for a last-eight berth after suffering two straight defeats.
Home United was in good form in the domestic league and was in second place, a point behind leader and another AFC Cup quarterfinalist Singapore Armed Forces.
The teams:
Dempo: Abhijt Mondal, John Dias, Climax Lawrence (capt.), Ranti Martins, Roberto Mendes Silva, Anthony Perreira, Clifford Miranda, Samir Naik, Valeriano Rebello, Mboyo Iyomi, Mahesh Gawli, Creson Antao, Nascimento Silveira, Joaquim Abranches, V.P. Sathish Kumar, Nicolau Borges, Dominic Noronha and Joe Rodrigues.
Home United: Mohammad Farhan, Indra sahdan Daud, Juma’at Jantan, Subramani Shanmugham (capt.), Valery Hiek, Kengne Ludovick, Syed Mohammad Fadhil, Mohammad Rosman Sulaiman, Tengku Mushadad, Lionel Lewis, Peres De Oliviera, Mohammad Rizuan Fatah, Shukor Zailan, MOhammad Nur Azreen, Ram Shankar, Mohammad Saiful Nasri and Mohammad Azhar Bib Sairuddin.
