AFC Cup: Know your opponents - TC Sports Club
Bengaluru FC are 90 minutes away from booking their spot in the 2018 AFC Cup group stage. But it will be far from easy. The Blues travelled to the Maldives amidst unrest and managed to scrape through with a 3-2 victory in the first leg.
Failure to keep things tight at the back could make this clash a tricky affair for Albert Roca's men. Sportskeeda gives you a lowdown on Bengaluru's opponents for tonight's crunch encounter.
TC Sports Club
Their abbreviation stands for "Trust and Care Football Club." The club from the Maldives have reached the later stages of the AFC Cup on merit alone. They registered a comprehensive 4-1 victory on aggregate against Bangladeshi outfit, Saif Sporting.
TC Sports Club are based in Male, the capital city of Maldives which also happens to be the most populated city in the country. The island city originally belonged to King's whose royal dynasties ruled during ancient times.
The club is located near Malé Atoll - A coral reef. Sparsely inhabited, this area has now become a popular tourist destination in recent times. The club plays at the Rasmee Dhandu Stadium which can hold close to 12,000 spectators.
Before losing to Bengaluru in their home leg, TC were on a three-match winning streak during which they scored an impressive 8 goals and conceded 3. In fact, they've lost only one of their previous 8 games (Bengaluru FC excluded) which speaks volumes about their ability to churn out results.
TC finished runners-up in the recently concluded 2017 Dhivehi Premier League, the country's primary football tournament. Registering 32 points from 14 games, the club ended the season in the second position behind eventual champions, New Radiant who finished the league with 39 points.
Their highest goal scorer this season has been Anatoliy Vlasichev who has found the back of the net 5 times. The Kyrgyzstani operates as a midfielder but leads the scoring charts owing to his vision and poacher's instinct.