5 players to watch out for in Bengaluru FC vs Tampines Rovers
Bengaluru FC have been one of India’s most successful teams in the last three years. The team, since its inception in 2013, have gone about building a club the right way.
With Mohun Bagan ousted from the AFC Cup, the onus is on the Bangalore side to carry the Indian flag as far as possible.
Their next hurdle in the quarter-finals of the competition is Singapore-based football club Tampines Rovers. Tampines defeated Mohun Bagan in the Round of 16 and has all the resources to end Indian hopes in the quarter-finals of the competition.
The two teams face off on September 14th for the first leg in Bengaluru while the second leg will be held on 21st September in Singapore.
The Indian side has the ability to cause an upset, but the team start as underdogs.
Here, we take a look at the five key players who can have enormous effects on the result of the game.
#1 Amrinder Singh
Indian teams have, more often than not, been caught on the back-foot by opposition attacks, and thus, Amrinder Singh plays a pivotal role in this match. With loads of experience at just 23, Amrinder is one of the best goalkeepers in Indian football.
The custodian won the award for Best Goalkeeper of I-league last season with Bengaluru FC, keeping 9 clean sheets.
It is not just Amrinder’s saves that is a boon for the I-League champions, but his positional sense, his understanding of the game and the way he communicates with his defence Standing tall at 6 ft 1 inch, Amrinder is a confident goalkeeper who’s known to make his presence felt in the box during opposition set-pieces.
The India keeper would need to be on the top of his game to keep the threat of strikers Fazrul Nawaz and Sufian Anuar at bay. The defensive onus, thus, would be on Amrinder and if Bengaluru FC manages to keep a clean sheet, it will give them a good chanceof progressing.