Kolkata, Sept 14 (UNI): ISL franchise Bengaluru FC will open their Durand Cup campaign with clash against Kerala Blasters at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan here on Wednesday,
Bengaluru, grouped alongside Kerala, Delhi FC and Indian Navy in Group C, will look to start strong, with the top two teams from each group set to qualify for the quarterfinals.
Blues coach Naushad Moosa maintained that his young side will be out to impress everyone with their performance.
“We had a long pre-season for the AFC Cup, and our squad for this tournament has many youngsters who haven’t played too many competitive games over the last few months,” Moosa said at the pre-match press conference.
“We have a mixture of U18 graduates and reserve team players who Marco (Pezzaiuoli) believes have good potential. The Durand Cup is a prestigious tournament, and we’ll look at how these players can perform under pressure against big teams,” he added.
The Blues’ first opponents Kerala have already opened their account in Kolkata, beating Indian Navy 1-0 courtesy Uruguayan midfielder Adrian Luna’s penalty on September 11.
“Kerala have come here with a full-strength squad, and have won their first game too. That said, it is important for any team playing in the competition to give their best, and that holds true for us as well. We are very serious about this tournament, and the players also know how important this is for them. They are raring to get onto the pitch and show everyone what they are capable of,” Moosa added.
While Kerala make their debut in the competition this year, the Blues have two previous appearances, having made it to the semifinals once, losing out to Salgaocar on penalties in their debut campaign in 2014.
