Dhaka Abahani getting ready for home match against April 25 SC -The Asian Age

Dhaka Abahani Limited are getting ready for their home match of knockout phase of the AFC Cup against April 25 Sports Club (4.25 SC) of North Korea at the Bangabandhu National Stadium in the city on August 21. Abahani Team Manager Satyajit Das Rupu said that the team have started their training session on Wednesday after the three-day Eid vacation.

"Our opponents April 25 SC will arrive Dhaka on August 17. So, we have started our training session. The team joined training camp on Wednesday after the Eid vacation. Our players are mentally and physically fit," he said on Thursday.

Dhaka Abahani will face April 25 SC in home and away basis knockout phase of the AFC Cup Football. After the home match, the popular sky-blue Dhanmomdi based outfit will play away match on September 11 at the Kim-ll-Sung Stadium in Pyongyang, North Korea.

Earlier, Six-time Bangladesh Premier League Football champions Abahani reached the knockout phase for the first time as the champions of four-team Group E, beating Minerva Punjab of India by 1-0 goal in their last group match in Guwahati on June 26.

Dhaka Abahani started their AFC Cup campaign beating Manang Marshyangdi Club by 1-0 goal in Kathmandu on April 3, but played to 2-2 draw with Minerva Punjab in their second match in Dhaka on April 17.

But they conceded a 0-1 defeat against Chennaiyin FC in their third match in Ahmedabad on April 30. To keep their hope for becoming the Group E champions alive, the Dhanmomdi based outfit defeated Chennaiyin FC by 3-2 goals in their fourth match on June 15 and crushed Manang Marshyangdi by 5-0 goals in their fifth match on June 19, both in Dhaka.

Besides, Dhaka Abahani Ltd finished runners-up in the 13-team Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) Football 2018-19 season ended on August 3.They secured 58 points with 19 wins, one draws and 4 defeats, 5 points behind new champions Bashundhara Kings (63 points).