Sharpshooter Hammadi Ahmed key to AFC success

Bengaluru: BFC’s date with destiny dawns on Saturday when they face Air Force Club in the AFC Cup final in Doha. The I-League club is looking to become the first team from the country to win silverware at the continental level and suffice to say, they carry the hopes of the nation when they take to the field. Interestingly, the other side of the coin isn’t that different. Having played in the AFC Champions League three times in the past, this is Air Force Club’s first foray in Asia’s second tier continental competition.

While an appearance in the final in their first attempt is a feat in itself for the Baghdad club, to win it would be historic for them as well. In the past, five teams from Iraq had reached the final stages continental competitions without tasting success, the latest of them being Abril, who lost in the 2012, 2014 AFC Cup final. True to style of most West Asian clubs, AFC employs strong physicality with swift passing and hard running style of football, all encompassed in a 4-4-2 format.

Armed with sharpshooter Hammadi Ahmed, who has scored in all of his last 10 AFC Cup appearances, leading the line, the Iraqi club has shown there is no defence impenetrable for them. The striker’s 15 goals in the competition, which keeps him atop the scoring charts by some distance, is testament to the fact and he will be one of the key men, along with defender Sameh Saeed and midfielder Hamid Mido.

Although historically, home advantage has been of little consequence in the final, to play in Doha would benefit AFC as the club has been playing their home matches in Qatar due to the unrest in the home country. Come what may, either ways on Saturday, history will be written!