AFC Cup 2018: Bengaluru FC to face Turkmenistan's Altyn Asyr FK in Inter-Zone semifinal

Kuala Lumpur, May 23: South Zone champions JSW Bengaluru FC were drawn to face Turkmenistan side Altyn Asyr FK in the 2018 AFC Cup Inter-Zone semifinals at the AFC club competitions draw held in Kuala Lumpur on Wednesday (May 23).

While the Sree Kanteerava Stadium is set to host the Turkmenistan side on August 22, the reverse leg of the tie will be played at the Sport Toplumy Stadium in Balkanabat on August 29.

Here's the #AFCCup2018 Knockout Stage draw results. Who will be crowned as champions? Tell us! pic.twitter.com/AmjckStMpF

— AFC Cup (@AFCCup) May 23, 2018

Having qualified for the competition as the Turkmenistan Yokary Liga champions in 2017, Altyn Asyr made their way to the Inter-Zone semifinals with a thrilling 3-2 last round win over 2017 finalists FC Istiklol from Tajikistan, who incidentally got better off the Blues in the inter-zone final in the last edition. Currently fourth in the Yokary Liga with four games in hand, Altyn Asyr will be a strong opponent for Bengaluru who will be led by a new coach after the club announced Roca's departure last week.

.@bengalurufc clinched the #AFCCup2018 Inter-Zone Semi-Final qualification ticket from Group E with a thumping 4-0 away victory against Dhaka Abahani Limited!

Match Report: https://t.co/0QhLzqfzWGhttps://t.co/FzysLBhg3o

— AFC Cup (@AFCCup) May 17, 2018

Should Bengaluru get past the Turkmenistan side, they will be up against one of DPR Korea's 4.25 SC and the ASEAN Zone tie winner between Singapore's Home United or Philippines' Ceres Negros, an identical clash from the last edition.

Earlier club CTO Mandar Tamhane was presented with the South Zone Champions trophy by AFC General Secretary Dato' Windsor John having topped Group-E for the second successive season. Bengaluru qualified for the knockout rounds of the tournament for a record fourth consecutive season after toppling Maldives' New Radiant SC to the summit of Group E.

Final standings for Group E! Congratulations to @bengalurufc for finishing top and qualifying for the #AFCCup2018 Inter-Zone Semi-finals! pic.twitter.com/AYvod6tANd

— AFC Cup (@AFCCup) May 16, 2018

Bengaluru FC were lucky to have made the knockouts of the AFC Cup. They were placed second in the group after losing to New Radiant SC in Maldives. However, in the final match-day, Bengaluru FC defeated Abahani Dhaka and fellow Indian club Aizawl FC pulled off a sensational win against New Radiant to help the Blues through.

Full draw:

West Zone Final: Al Jazeera (Jordan) vs Air Force Club (Iraq)

ASEAN Zone Final: Ceres Negros (Philippines) vs Home United (Singapore)

Inter-Zonal Semi-final 1: Zonal Champion - ASEAN vs 4.25 SC (North Korea)

Inter-Zonal Semi-final 2: Bengaluru FC (India) vs Altyn Asyr (Turkmenistan)

Source: BFC Media