AFC Cup: Edeh Chidi and five other potential stars of the quarter-finals

Edeh Chidi (Photo Credit: AIFF Media)

The AFC Cup quarter-finals draw is scheduled for June 20 and Indian football fans can certainly look forward to it, as East Bengal are in the last eight. Unlike the club competitions in Europe, the continental tournaments in Asia take place over a calendar year and not in the course of one season.

Hence many of the teams might have several changes in their squad and coaching staff by the time they play their two-legged quarter-final tie in September. East Bengal for example will certainly have a new coach in charge and there will be some changes in their squad also.

However the red-and-gold brigade have managed to retain their top scorer of last season, Edeh Chidi. The Nigerian’s first season with East Bengal started slowly but since the turn of the new year, he netted 17 goals in 18 starts in the I-League and AFC Cup.

Chidi has scored six times in seven matches of this edition’s AFC Cup including a superb hat-trick against Myanmar’s Yangon United in the round of 16. Even in the matches where he hasn’t got on the scoresheet, Chidi has created chances for his teammates and his physical presence has given opposition defenders all sorts of problems. The striker had reached the semifinals in 2008 with Dempo and would have to be at his best to repeat that feat with East Bengal.

Sportskeeda lists five other potential stars of the quarter-finals.