CCFC meets Maziya in AFC cup opener

After three years of separation, Chennai City FC and the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here are set for a reunion as the I-League club begins its inaugural AFC Cup campaign with a match-up against Maziya S&RC (Maldives) at the venue on Wednesday.

Despite representing the state capital in the country’s second-tier competition, Chennai City has been forced to operate out of Coimbatore due to cost issues. The last time CCFC set foot at the arena in Chennai was on March 12, 2017 - the day on which it edged Kolkata giant East Bengal 2-1.

The JN Stadium in Coimbatore failing to meet Asian Football Confederation’s (AFC) standards has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, with Chennai City gearing up for a memorable Asian night on its own patch. “We will be playing in Chennai after a long time and that in itself is a motivation for us. We are looking forward to giving our best in front of our fans,” said CCFC’s Singaporean head coach Akbar Nawas.

Having been crowned the champion of the I-League 2018-19 season, Chennai City was rewarded with a spot in the AFC Champions League Qualifiers, where it went down 0-1 to Bahraini club Al Riffa. Following its narrow defeat, the Chennai side, sitting in the bottom half of the table in the ongoing league campaign, dropped down to the AFC Cup – the Asian equivalent of the UEFA Europa League.

CCFC, placed alongside Maziya, Bashundhara Kings (Bangladesh) and TC Sports (Maldives) in Group E, is the sole representative from this land in the continental tournament. “All of us in Chennai City are proud to participate in the AFC Cup. Everyone is excited to play the first game. Being the only Indian team, we want to do something,” added a determined Akbar.

The gaffer will once again rely on goalkeeper Nauzet Santana Garcia, centre-back Roberto Eslava and frontmen Katsumi Yusa and Fito Miranda – the overseas players who have been registered for the first round. Comprising quality local talent like full-back Ajith Kumar and midfielder Sriram, Chennai City looks to be aware of visitor Maziya’s credentials.

The Maldivian outfit had to come through the preliminary and play-off rounds to make it to the competition proper. “We have to give respect for Maziya as it beat Bengaluru FC (on penalties in the play-offs), an ISL team that has high-profile players. We cannot underestimate our opponent, but at the same time, we want to show what we have up our sleeve,” Akbar told reporters.

Maziya, managed by Macedonian Marjan Sekulovski, comes into the clash on a back of a triumphant run in the Dhivehi Premier League in Maldives. And, no wonder, its manager was brimming with optimism on the eve of the contest. “This is our first match in the group stage and it will be difficult because of different reasons. But, Maziya always plays to win. We are confident and we will go for the three points,” remarked Sekulovski.