Thimpu, Nov 22 (IANS): Pune FC will be up against fellow Indian side Assam State Electricity Board (ASEB) in a crucial third round group stage encounter of the King's Cup at the Changlimithang Stadium here Sunday.
The game will be an important one for both sides for different reasons. A win for Pune FC will take them one step closer to the semi-finals. On the other hand, having lost two consecutive games, ASEB need a win to keep their faint hopes of qualification alive.
Pune FC go into the game wanting to keep their hundred percent record intact after logging consecutive wins in their opening two games against foreign opposition.
Moreover, with only two teams out of five in the group qualifying for the semis, a win will not only help Pune FC (6 points) consolidate their top spot in Group B, but will also keep them ahead of MMC, Nepal (3), Abahani Limited (3), Dhaka and Bhutan’s Ugyen Academy (3) in the standings.
Having trained everyday since their arrival here, Pune FC had a much needed rest day Friday as they gear up to play twice in the coming three days with the final group game against Abahani Limited scheduled Tuesday.
“We changed our plans from the first game a little bit against Ugyen and it worked well. Unfortunately, we couldn’t score more than one goal but created a host of chances against a team which has been together for a very long time,” coach Karim Bencherifa said.
“The match is very important for us. We need to keep performing the way we have done in the first two games. A win means we won’t have to depend on other results and will be able to make a few changes ahead of the knockouts.”
Pune FC will have to deal with a few minor niggles. However, no major injury concerns are a positive sign for them ahead of the last two group games.
On the other hand, ASEB, who are yet to open their account, come into the game after two hard fought narrow losses against Abahani Limited and MMC. With their faint qualification hopes hanging by a thread, ASEB, featuring all Indian players, will go all out against Pune FC and will be a tough nut to crack.
Interestingly, the game against ASEB will be the second time Pune FC face the team from the north-east. Back in January 2008, Pune FC played their first ever game as a professional team against ASEB in the Kalinga Cup in Odisha and won the clash via a tie-breaker.
The game will also be the first time that Pune FC faces an Indian team on foreign soil.