Kings eye AFC Cup knockout berth

Bashundhara Kings are set to fly to India this morning to final AFC Cup group stage encounter against Odisha FC with the hope of making it to the knockout stage of Asia's second-tier club competition for the first time.

The Bangladesh Premier League champions lead the four-team group with 10 points from five matches, one more than second-placed Odisha FC. Kings need only a draw to emerge group champions to advance to the zonal semifinals for the first time after having failed to do so in the last two editions where they had finished behind eventual group champions Mohun Bagan.

In 2021 and 2022, Kings had difficult equations going into their last group matches as they needed victories in their respective games while having to pray for the outcome of other group other match to go their way.

The country's new powerhouse did their job by winning their last matches both times but the outcome of the group other matches did not go their way as Mohun Bagan won their last matches in both editions.

However, this time Kings have it in their hand ahead of Monday's unofficial final in Bhuvneshwar against hosts Odisha FC, a side they had beaten 3-2 in Dhaka.

The Indian outfit, though, have been in good form as they posted three successive victories by scoring 14 goals in their last three matches.

Kings had made a poor start in the AFC Cup by losing 3-1 against Maziya S&RC but since then the Bangladeshi outfit have remained unbeaten, putting some bold displays despite conceding the lead in the last four matches.