AFC Cup finalist Bengaluru FC will look to silence the home fans when they take North Korea’s champion football club 4.25 SC at the 1.14 lakh capacity May Day Stadium in Pyongyang. The Bengaluru based club will be the first Indian football club to play in the land of Kim Jong-un.
The visitors have a 3-0 lead from the first leg, putting them in the driver’s seat but the last season finalists must guard against complacency in the second leg of the inter-zonal semi final of AFC Cup. As for the North Korean side, they are well aware that an early goal can change the completion of the game. 4.25 SC is one of the most successful teams in the country, thus they are capable of causing an upset in front their home fans.
Sunil Chhetri and his boys will go into the match with little practice as they landed a day before the crucial game. The team’s initial plans were to travel to Pyongyang on September 8, but due North Korea Foundation Day Celebration, the Blues had to postpone their departure.
BFC will also face quite a challenge dealing with strict rules and limited connectivity, ‘’ "With no international roaming or mobiles phones allowed, the only way we can stay connected with the squad is the landline number of the hotel they are staying at," a Bengaluru FC official said.
The club belongs to the Korean People's Army and the name comes from the Military Foundation Day. The Indian club will look to seal a berth in the Inter-Zone Finals with a strong show at the May Day Stadium.