Home United host Vietnam's Than Quang Ninh in their second AFC Cup 2017 outing at Singapore's Jalan Besar Stadium on Tuesday.
The S.League giants, who crushed Cambodia's Phnom Penh Crown 7-3 (in aggregate) over two legs of their qualifying campaign, stumbled in their tournament opener against Myanmar's Yadanarbon 1-0 last month on the road. On the other hand, Than Quang Ninh held Yadanarbon to a 1-1 draw earlier this month to make the three-team group open.
Striker Stipe Plazibat has scored eight goals from four games (all competition) this season will be key to the Protectors chances again. Also, in-form Home, who won both their S.League matches so far, have signed Singapore vice-captain Hariss Harun on a loan deal and his experience of playing at the continental level will come in handy for the team, which also has in-form South Korean Young Song and Izzdin Shafiq in the midfield.
On the other hand, the visitors, who finished fourth in last year's V League 1, have not had the best of starts to their league campaign this season. After eight matches, Than Quang Ninh are struggling at the eighth spot of the 14-team league and have won four and lost as many.
While Than Quang Ninh will be looking to seal a win in Singapore and keep the pressure on Yadanarbon in the group, Home cannot afford another loss but their recent form should give them confidence to make the most of the home leg.
TV Schedule
Singapore: Fox Sports
Thailand: Fox Sports
Malaysia: Fox Sports
Myanmar: Fox Sports
Team News
Home
Possible XI: Sunny; Jantan, Camara, Fandi, Abdullah; Ramli, Song, Shafiq, Sharif; Plazibat, Asraf
Than Quang Ninh
Possible XI: Huynh Tuan; Durong Van, Nguyen Minh, Durong Thanh, Trinh Hoa; Vu Minh, Bui Van, Kizito, Pham Nguyen, Nghiem Xuan; Tambwe
