Tampines Rovers FC, a top Singapore League club, arrived in Kolkata on Sunday to play the group H AFC Cup league tie match against Kingfisher East Bengal.
The match is scheduled at the Sat Lake Stadium on Tuesday.
The Singapore side promised good football while having their first practice session on the synthetic surface at the venue.
Saying that his team has a tough match against the host, the Rovers’ Croatian coach Nenad Bacina said he hopes to avenge the 2-4 loss it suffered against East Bengal at Jalan Besar Stadium barely four days ago.
Rovers is at the bottom of the table with just one point from three matches. East Bengal is currently on top of the group league standings with seven points from two wins and a draw.
The home side also had a prolonged session of practice under its English coach Trevor Morgan.
“We also have the experience of playing on artificial surface in Singapore but the surface there is a bit better,” Bacina said after seeing the pitch at Salt Lake Stadium, which has taken some wear and tear after the IPL VI opening ceremony on April 2.
“Whatever the condition, the same surface is applicable to both the sides and we will try to give our best on this,” the Rovers coach added.
The visiting coach was critical of the kick-off time, which is at 3.15 p.m. in the afternoon.
“The stadium has floodlights so a match on a synthetic surface in the extreme summer heat could have been easily avoided,” Bacina said.
