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5 talking points ahead of the AFC Cup final

Bengaluru FC made it to the final after defeating defending champions, Johor

The 2016 AFC Cup final will be held in Doha on November 5th at the Saoud bin Abdulrahman Stadium, Al Wakrah, Qatar and will be contested between Air Force Club from Iraq and JSW Bengaluru from India. 

Bengaluru FC made their way to the final overcoming reigning champions Johor Darul Takzim, 4-2 on aggregate in the semi-final, while Air Force Club overcame Lebanon’s Al Ahed 4-3 on aggregate in the other semi-final to book their place in the final.

Air Force Club Iraq are first timers in the competition after they finished fourth in the Iraqi Premier League and made it all the way to the finals in their very first attempt. Their opposition Bengaluru FC made history by becoming the first Indian club to make an AFC Cup final in only their fourth year of existence as a professional outfit. 

Here we take a took at the five talking points ahead of the eagerly anticipated final in Doha.


#5 No Amrinder Singh for BFC

Amrinder Singh Ralte
Lalthuammawia Ralte (L) will replace Amrinder Singh (R) in goal (Image: Amrinder Singh Twitter) 

Bengaluru FC manager, Alberto Roca, will be without his number one shot stopper Amrinder Singh, who is suspended for final after picking up a yellow card for time wasting against JDT. That was the shot-stopper’s second yellow card in two games, adding to the booking he held coming into the second leg semi-final against JDT at the Kanteerava.

The keeper has been in superb form for the Blues on their road to the final. Singh picked up clean sheets in both legs against Tampines Rovers in the quarter-finals, backed up by solid performances against JDT, home and away in the semi-finals. 

His replacement for the final will be second choice goalkeeper Ralte, who was the number one keeper for the Blues under Ashley Westwood in the club’s second season in the I-League. Ralte will make his second appearance in the tournament after he played in the 5-3 home win against Ayeyawady FC  in the group stages of the competition.

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