TAMPINES ROVERS INTO ITS
3RD SUCCESSIVE
AFC CUP COMPETITION
Article Posted : 26th January 2007
TAMPINES ROVERS INTO ITS 3RD SUCCESSIVE
AFC CUP COMPETITION
Singapore Cup 2006 Champions, Tampines Rovers FC will again feature as Singapore representative in the regional AFC Cup competition. This will be Tampines Rovers 3rd successive participation in the competition. The other Singapore club representative is S.League 2006 Champions Singapore Armed Forces FC.
In the draw conducted on 20 Dec 2006 at AFC Headquarters in Kuala Lumpur, Tampines Rovers FC was drawn to play in Group F together with Malaysian FA Cup Champions, Pahang and Osatsapa M-150, the 1st runner up of Thailand Premier League.
Osotsapa M-150 FC
Tampines Rovers FC
Pahang FA
Mohun Bagan AC
The last team in the group was determined from India’s Federation Cup competition. The Federation Cup Final was decided on 30 December 2006 with Kolkata based team, Mohun Bagan Athletic Club emerging Champions to occupy the last slot in Group F. (The city of Calcutta was renamed to Kolkata in 2001) Mohun Bagan overcome Sporting club de Goa in the Federation Cup Finals winning on penalty kick after the full 120 minutes of play ended 1-1.
The Stags will open their campaign, traveling to Kolkata, India to face Mohun Bagan AC on Tuesday, 6 March 2007. Mohun Bagan has in their rank India top striker, Baichung Bhutia in its fold.
Tampines Rovers will face old foe Pahang FA once again. The last time the two team met was in the AFF Club Championship Finals. Tampines Rovers came back from a 2 goals deficit to win the match 4 – 2 at the final whistle. Pahang got into the AFC Cup 2007 competition by emerging Champions in Malaysia FA Cup 2006 competition. Haji Ahmad Yusof has taken the appointment of Head Coach while Zainal Abidin Hassan is now Pahang Team Manager.
Stags ace striker Noh Alam Shah in AFC Cup 2006 action in Maldives
Tampines Rovers will be making a return to the Land of Smiles, Bangkok, Thailand to face Osatsapa M-150. Tampines Rovers last outing competitive outing in Bangkok was in the Queen’s Cup competition in September 2006.
The furthest the Stags went in the AFC Cup competition was in the quarterfinal stage both in 2005 and 2006. With the experience gain in the competition and the addition of new promising players, the Stags are bend on making into the knock out stage and reach the elusive semi-final spot.
