Kings depart for AFC Challenge League with high hopes

Bashundhara Kings departed for Kuwait on Tuesday afternoon to take part in the AFC Challenge League, harbouring high hopes of progressing beyond the group stage for the first time in their sixth attempt at an AFC-sanctioned tournament.

As champions of the Bangladesh Premier League, the Kings previously competed in the AFC Cup for four consecutive editions, before participating in the newly introduced AFC Challenge League last year. However, they were eliminated at the group stage in all five of their past appearances.

This time, however, team captain Topu Barman is setting his sights high, aiming to lead the side to the quarterfinals of the third-tier Asian club competition. The path won't be easy, with strong opposition expected from clubs representing Oman, Lebanon, and Kuwait.

There had been high expectations surrounding the Kings in the 2024 edition of the competition, especially with clubs from India, Bhutan, and Lebanon in their group. Unfortunately, they were knocked out after losing all three matches to East Bengal, Paro FC, and Nejmeh SC.

Nevertheless, the Kings draw inspiration from their 1-0 win over Syria's Al-Karamah SC in the preliminary round in August, as well as their performances in recent domestic competitions.

"We've had solid preparation under our new Argentine coach, and we've remained unbeaten in seven official and unofficial home matches," Topu told The Daily Star on the eve of their departure. "We're confident about achieving positive results this time."

Under Mario Gomez, Bashundhara Kings have played four competitive matches so far -- two league games, one Federation Cup match, and one in the one-off Challenge Cup -- winning two and drawing the other two.

"We've been performing well according to the coach's plan," added Topu. "Beating the Lebanese club in the preliminary round also boosted our confidence. We believe we can top the group, although all three opponents are strong sides."

Gomez expressed optimism in a club statement: "The boys have been working hard for months in preparation for the Challenge League. I believe something different can happen on the pitch if the players give their best."

In the West Group of the Challenge League, three group champions and the best runner-up among the groups will qualify for the quarterfinals.

Fixtures of Group B:

October 25 King vs Al Seeb Club of Oman

October 28 Kings vs Al-Ansar FC of Lebanon

October 31 Kings vs Kuwait SC of Kuwait