Chhetri is an inspiration for the rest of us, says Bengaluru FC's Dovale

Bengaluru, October 16: Winger Toni Dovale feels captain Sunil Chhetri is an inspiration to Bengaluru FC as the 2016 AFC Cup finalists eye a turnaround in their Inter-Zonal final against Tajikstan's FC Istiklol.

Trailing by a solitary goal after the first leg in Dushanbe, the Blues need to win by a two-goal margin in the second leg at the Sree Kanteerava Stadium on Wednesday (October 18) to book a final against 2016 winners Air Force Club.

Dovale, who joined Albert Roca's side in the summer, banks on Chhetri, the country's leading goal-scorer, to carry the team through.

"We've a captain who's a legend in India," Dovale, a former Celta Vigo player, told the-afc.com. "He's 33 (years old), but when he trains you can see the ambition in his eyes to play and improve, so I think that makes everyone follow.

"And when I see the faces of the other guys, we'veambition. As a team, we're hungry - the only thing we want is a win, this is a drug for us and we've the desire."

Chhetri's resilience and desire to win has already rubbed off on Dovale, who admitted that he played the first leg in the Tajikstan capital on September 28 with three broken ribs.

As for the return leg, the Blues look at it as a fresh challenge. They do have to consider themselves lucky to have conceded just one goal. Roca's boys clearly looked out of sorts and let multiple chances fly. Istiklol, on the other hand, made 23 attempts, including seven on target, but could only manage the one 27th minute-goal.

Although BFC defenders won 60 per cent of their tackles against the Istiklol attack, Dovale feels the hosts have to be wary of conceding an away goal in the crucial fixture. After all, in the other inter-zonal final, only an away goal helped Iraqi side Air Force Club make the summit clash following a 2-2 draw with Syria's Al Wahda over the two legs.

"Away goals in these matches are really important, and that would give Istiklol a much higher chance of success," Dovale added. "We've to manage the attacking and defensive sides because it'll be 90 minutes, or 120, so we're ready for everything.

"It was a tight first game and we did a pretty good job. They won 1-0 but I think now we're at home, the fortress, we've another chance and we will do everything we can to go to the final. It'll be a tough night for both teams."