Kuala Lumpur: Former AFC Cup runners-up JSW Bengaluru of India and Tajikistan’s FC Istiklol will square off against tournament debutants 4.25 SC of DPR Korea and recently crowned ASEAN Zonal champions Ceres Negros from the Philippines in next week’s inaugural Inter-Zone Semi-finals.
Ahead of the first legs in Bengaluru and Dushanbe, the-afc.com profiles four players who will be key to their side’s chances of achieving continental glory after netting an impressive 24 times between them in the tournament to date.
Sunil Chhetri (JSW Bengaluru)
Two goals in the group stage of the 2017 AFC Cup doesn’t tell the whole story of JSW Bengaluru’s star man Sunil Chhetri.
The forward’s match-winning strikes – both free-kicks from almost identical angles and both, strangely, in the 57th minute – turned draws into victories against domestic rivals Mohun Bagan and Maldivian side Maziya Sports & Recreation.
Chhetri’s goal against Maziya sees Bengaluru crowned South Asian Zonal champions.
Indeed, if Bengaluru had not defeated Maziya, the Indian team would have been eliminated as Chhetri, once again, proved he was the man for the big occasion.
Set to take to the knockout rounds for the third consecutive year after helping Bengaluru to the last 16 in 2015 and a runners-up finish last year, Chhetri will likely be instrumental to his side’s hopes.
Kim Yu-song (4.25 SC)
Nine goals in just four games proves DPR Korea international Kim Yu-song knows how to find the back of the net, with the tournament’s top scorer notching eight in two fixtures against Mongolia’s Erchim FC.
His other strike, the most crucial, came in the 98th minute in a 2-2 draw with fellow Pyongyang side Kigwancha SC and ultimately ensured 4.25 SC’s passage from Group I due to a marginally better head-to-head record against their compatriots.
Kim nets in his five-goal haul against Erchim FC.
It is now, though, that Kim’s pedigree will be truly tested given his previous encounters came against an Erchim side that leaked 21 goals in four games and the unknown quantity of their nearby neighbours.
Tasked with overcoming a JSW Bengaluru outfit whose reputation is rapidly growing, Kim, and 4.25, will look to show they have what it takes to be contenders on the Continent.
Bienvenido Maranon (Ceres Negros)
Just one goal shy of Kim is Bienvenido Maranon, the Spaniard who has been in outstanding form during Ceres Negros’ progress into unchartered territory.
Seven group stage goals including vital strikes on Matchdays One and Six against Hanoi FC and Tampines Rovers respectively helped the Filipino side edge past Hanoi into the ASEAN Zonal Semi-finals.
Maranon scores against Johor Darul Ta’zim.
Maranon then added another in the first leg of the 4-4 away goals victory over 2015 champions Johor Darul Ta’zim as The Busmen’s journey deep into the tournament continued.
After failing to find the back of the net in the 3-2 aggregate win against Home United that saw Ceres become ASEAN Zonal champions, Maranon will be looking to rediscover his goalscoring form ahead of the clash with FC Istiklol.
Manuchehr Dzhalilov (FC Istiklol)
Tajikistan international striker Manuchehr Dzhalilov scored five goals in the group stage as unbeaten FC Istiklol were crowned Central Asian Zonal champions.
Dzhalilov, though, took until the fourth game to get off the mark when he bagged a brace against the Kyrgyz Republic’s FC Alay in a 4-1 win.
Dzhalilov scores in 4-1 win at Dordoi FC.
Two weeks later, back in the Kyrgyz Republic, the forward netted a hat-trick as Istiklol beat Dordoi FC by the same scoreline to remain on top of the Group D standings, before a 1-0 defeat of Turkmenistan’s Altyn Asyr saw the Tajiks progress to the knockout rounds.
Boasting an impressive record for both club and country, Dzhalilov will be aiming to outshine Ceres Negros’ top marksman Bienvenido Maranon when the pair take to the field in Dushanbe on Tuesday.
Photos: Lagardère Sports
Source: the-afc.com