5 opponent players that Bengaluru FC must be mindful of in the AFC Cup grand finale

THE HOUR IS NIGH. After just one more sleep, Bengaluru FC will take to the pitch to participate in the biggest battle that the club has ever participated in. 

The AFC Cup final, taking place at the Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium in Doha, will see an Indian club in the fray for the first time for the prestigious continental silverware. Many of the Bengaluru FC players see this game as a high point in their careers; a culmination of their efforts over the last year and more, a chance to make history and bring glory to not just the club but the whole country.

But to clinch that coveted trophy, BFC will have to overcome a fearsome, dominant opponent in Iraq's Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya, or the AirForce Club. Based out of the Rusafa district of Baghdad, it's the oldest football club in Iraq that's still kicking around. They have won the Iraqi top division league 9 times, and the FA Cup 4 times including last season. In their present AFC Cup campaign they have been an unrelenting force, winning 8 out of the 11 games they have played so far (only 1 loss and 2 draws) during which they have scored 24 goals. 

Now, a lot is riding on the AirForce Club's bid for the AFC Cup as well. No Iraqi club has won a continental championship of this stature. Al-Rasheed reached the final of the Asian Club Championship back in 1988-89 and Erbil reached the AFC Cup final in 2012, but both lost. Today, the life of the sport and its participating clubs in the war-torn country continues to be a struggle.

AirForce Club were supposed to play in the ACL but could not because matches could not be held in Iraq due to security concerns. But in February they began their journey in AFC Cup, with Doha as their adopted home venue. Winning the tournament will be a first for Iraqi football as well, and the fans from that country are just as eager to taste that victory as their Indian counterparts.

While facing BFC tomorrow, they will miss one of their best attackers Bashar Rasan Bonyan who is suspended for the final because of the straight red he picked up in the last game. But nonetheless, they have multiple players with international experience in the team, many of whom can give Bengaluru FC a run for their money. In this article we look at 5 such players.