Played
April 10, 2012 8:30 PM IST
Franso Hariri Stadium — Arbil
Referee:‬ Ali Sabbagh‎
Attendance:‬ 5000‎
 
45+1′ (PG) Abdullrazak Al Hussain
 
47′ (PG) Abdullrazak Al Hussain
 

Arbil SC - East Bengal Preview: Can the Indian side overcome the Iraqi challenge?

It's a battle for survival for the Red and Gold while their counterparts are looking to better their chances of moving into the next phase of the competition...

By Anselm Noronha

More On :  Arbil SC, East Bengal F.C., Arbil SC vs East Bengal F.C.
East Bengal training session at Erbil ground
East Bengal FC

 PROBABLE LINEUP
ARBIL SC

Arbil SC

Mohsin;
Hafidh, Khalaf, Bukenya;
Hussein, Sabagh, Ayad, Abdulameer;
Salah, Obode, Al-Janabi
EAST BENGAL

 

Gurpreet;
Nirmal, Gurwinder, Okpara, Soumik;
Mehtab, Vashum, Orji, Khabra;
Baljit, Edmilson

Arbil SC have already beaten East Bengal 2-0 in their last match in India, while they will now be looking to register their second successive win of the campaign in the battle to keep pace with group leaders Kazma Sporting Club.

Meanwhile, it will be a tough task for East Bengal side with the team's assistant coach Ranjan Chaudhury giving out instructions from the sidelines in place of Trevor Morgan who was advised against traveling to Iraq.

Arbil SC coach Nizar Mahrous will be buoyed by the return of striker Luay Salah from injury, while Syrian midfielder Nadim Sabag will also be making his way in for the clash at the Francouse Al Hareeri Stadium.

The Iraqi side's drawbacks will be the unavailability of defender Saad Atiah due to injury, while Mahdi Kareem has been ruled out for Tuesday's tie as the midfielder is reportedly suffering from food poisoning.

Besides being winless in the competition, having lost all three matches so far, East Bengal are also yet to score a goal. On the other hand, like Kazma SC, Arbil SC are undefeated in Group B with five points from three matches.

East Bengal's major blow will however be the absence of Tolgay Ozbey who hasn't traveled with the team due to suspension while Baljit Singh and Edmilson Marques may see their way into the starting lineup.


  DID YOU KNOW?

  • Son of Prime Minister of Kurdistan (Iraq) Mr. Idris Bajrani, who is the Patron of Arbil SC, greeted East Bengal and will be present for the match.
  • East Bengal club secretary Kalyan Majumdar revealed that, according to travel advisories issued by the British and Australian governments, Morgan and Ozbey could travel to Iraq only at their own risk.
  • Both Arbil Sports Club and East Bengal have finished as runners-up in their country's respective leagues last season.
  • East Bengal coach Trevor James Morgan acquired his Australian citizenship during his coaching career with Sorrento FC in Perth.
  • In the year 2003, East Bengal became the first Indian club to win a continental competition when they lifted the ASEAN Club Championship held at Jakarta.
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Field Report
Reader's Predictions
Top 3 Predictions
  • Arbil SC 0-3 East Bengal F.C.
    18.75 %
  • Arbil SC 2-1 East Bengal F.C.
    18.75 %
  • Arbil SC 0-5 East Bengal F.C.
    12.5 %
Head to Head
AFC Cup ‎(AC)‎ 10-Apr-2012 Arbil SC 2 - East Bengal F.C. 0
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AFC Cup ‎(AC)‎ 04-Apr-2012 East Bengal F.C. 0 - Arbil SC 2
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Last Five Matches
Arbil SC
15-May-2013Arbil SC 3 - Shorta SC 4AC
10-May-2013Arbil SC 4 - Sulaymaniyah Football Club 1IRQ1
06-May-2013Al-Kahrabaa 3 - Arbil SC 5IRQ1
01-May-2013Arbil SC 2 - Al-Ansar 0AC
24-Apr-2013Al Ahli Taiz 0 - Arbil SC 4AC
East Bengal F.C.
15-May-2013East Bengal F.C. 5 - Yangon United 1AC
12-May-2013East Bengal F.C. 0 - Shillong Lajong FC 1IND1
08-May-2013East Bengal F.C. 6 - United Sikkim F.C. 0IND1
04-May-2013Dempo SC 2 - East Bengal F.C. 2IND1
30-Apr-2013East Bengal F.C. 4 - Sai Gon Xuan Thanh FC 1AC
Odds
Team News
Available Squads
21Sarhank MohsinGoalkeeper
-Waheed HusseinDefender
-Ivan BukenyaDefender
-Ahmad Ibrahim KhalafDefender
-Abdullrazak Al HussainMidfielder
-Nabeel SabahStriker
-Ahmad AyadMidfielder
-Hussein AbdulwahidMidfielder
-Muslim MubarakStriker
-Luay SalahStriker
-Amjad RadhiStriker
-Dydar HamedGoalkeeper
-Saad Attiya HafidhDefender
-Aws IbrahimDefender
-Hatem ZaidanDefender
7Halkard Mulla MohammadMidfielder
-Saade abdulamirMidfielder
-Kinan Al NeamaMidfielder
42Sandip NandyGoalkeeper
3Nirmal ChettriDefender
4Uga OkparaDefender
16Gurwinder SinghDefender
19Robert LalthlamuanaDefender
14Mehtab HussainMidfielder
15Sanju PradhanMidfielder
18Penn Ikechukwu OrjiMidfielder
34Subodh Kumar Defender
23Robin SinghStriker
11Edmilson MarquesStriker
29Saumik DeyDefender
33Saikata Saha RoyDefender
6Baljit SahniStriker
9Alvito D'CunhaMidfielder
22Khanthang PaiteMidfielder
-Debjit MajumderStriker
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Jorge Tarres Jorge Tarres
Striker
KSC 		11 0
Edward Wilson Edward Wilson
Midfielder
Semen Padang 		9 1
Bader Al Mutawa Bader Al Mutawa
Striker
AlQadsia 		9 0
Adama Koné Adama Koné
Striker
Yangon United 		9 0
Ali Ashfaq Ali Ashfaq
Striker
Maldives 		8 1