East Bengal will look to extend their good run when they host Selangor FA in their opening Group H fixture of the AFC Cup football tournament here tomorrow.
East Bengal will enter the match having hit a run of good form in both the Kolkata League as well as the I-League, leading the pack in both competitions.
The Federation Cup champions will be meting Selangor FA after 41 years.
Penn Orji will be one of the tricky customers for the visitors, while the combination of Edeh Chidi and Andrew Barisic, if not kept in check, could spell disaster for Selangor at the Yuba Bharati Krirangan.
Arnab Mondal's absence in central defense could however increase the workload on Uga Okpara as Raju Gaikwad is not one of the Red and Gold's most experienced campaigners.
"Although my side is in good shape having won the Federation Cup and are leading the pack in I League, I am not aware of the strengths and weaknesses of our rivals. We will also be cautious initially and then go for three points later. I am aware of Selangor's reputation from my stint in Malaysia," East Bengal coach Trevor Morgan said.
Selangor skipper Mohammed Asraruddin alongside Lebanese defender Ramez Dayoub would meanwhile be expected to resist the East Bengal strike-force, while forwards Francis Forkey Doe is known to be deadly upfront.
This is East Bengal's fourth consecutive participation and seventh overall in the AFC Cup.
