AFC Cup 2nd slot to the second best team of Premier League?

As Football Association of Maldives has announced that FA cup will not be held this season. Second slot of AFC cup will be given to the second best team of Premier League.

Football Association of Maldives has recently announced that there will be no president cup played this season and FA cup also is now called off due to the tightness of the schedule as the last premier league match is scheduled to play on 27th of this November.

Like the previous year, the champions of Premier League will directly qualified to the group stage of AFC cup and the second slot will be given to the second best team of Premier League.

And the race for the second best team is a very tight race in the league as in the Premier League table Maziya Sports and Recreation Club currently sits on the second spot with 28 points. Club Eagles sits just 2 points from the Green Boys in the third position with 26 points. And last years AFC CUP group stage slot winners New Radiant Sports Club is also close by on the fourth position with 24 points. The teams on second third and fourth are only on two points margin from each other.

Last Season AFC Cup preliminary play-off slot was awarded to TC Sports Club as they were the second best team of Premier League as well as the runner-ups of both President Cup and FA cup also. TC Sports Club successfully pass through the two leg of AFC Cup preliminary play-off matches against Bangladesh Federation Cup Champions Saif Sporting Club by winning opening away leg on 0-1 and later on winning the return leg by 3-0 on home soil. During the AFC Cup play off stage TC Sports Club faced the stronge Bengaluru FC, who earned the AFC CUP play-off stage slot being the runner-up of Indian super League last season, 2017. In the first match of the play-off, home leg, TC sports club won the first half of the match by 2-0 to Bengaluru FC. Later Bangalore FC came to won the match coming from behind by 2-3. And in the away leg TC sports club lost their hopes of AFC Cup group stage as they were hugely defeated by Bengaluru FC by 5-0.

Photo: ImagesMV