LAHORE Rangoon, Myanmar, also known as Yangon and famous for Bahadur Shah Zafar's tomb, will be the venue where Pakistan's national football champions Khan Research Labs (KRL) mark their return to Asian Football Confederation (AFC) club competition after ten years.
They will take on Tajikistans Vakhsh Qurghonteppa, runners-up to Dordoi in the 2006 AFC Presidents Cup, Nagacorp of Cambodia, and Renown Sports Club of Sri Lanka in Group-B of sixth AFC Presidents Cup which will be held from 10-14 May this year.
KRL secured the berth in the event for the first time on 13 December, 2009, when they clinched the Pakistan Premier League 2009 title at Karachi. They last appeared in an AFC event in 11th Asian Cup Winners Cup in 2000.
KRL's six matches will be played at Rangoons Youth Training Centre and Aung San Stadium. In all, Myanmar (formerly Burma) will host two groups of the AFC Presidents Cup 2010 while Bangladesh will host the third as 11 teams vie for the top honours in the continents third tier club competition.
Bangladeshs capital Dhaka will host the Group A matches from May 12 to 16 at the Bangabandhu National Stadium while both Group B and C will be played in Yangon, Myanmar.
Group B games will be played at Yangons Youth Training Centre and Aung San Stadium from May 10 to 14 while the Youth Training Centre will host the three-team Group C matches from May 9 to 13.
AFC has also reminded the participating clubs to submit the required documents for players and officials registration before the deadline of April 6, 2010. The group champions and the best runners-up will qualify for the finals which is scheduled to take place in September.
Three-times champion Regar-TadAZ of Tajikistan defeated 3-0 Dordoi Dynamo to win the first AFC Presidents Cup at Kathmandus Dashrath Stadium in 2005 before Kyrgyzstans Dordoi went on to claim the next two editions defeating Tajikistans Vakhsh 2-1 at Kuchings Sarawak Stadium in 2006 and Nepal Police FC by the same score line at Lahores Punjab Stadium a year later.
Regar regained the title on 21 September 2008 after edging out host Dordoi 4-3 on tie break after 1-1 draw at Spartak Stadium in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan. Regar claimed their third win on home soil when they defeated the same opposition - Dordoi (who never missed a final) - 2-0 at Metallurg Stadium, Russia on 27 September 2009.
Group A (Dhaka, Bangladesh; 12-16 May 2010)
Dordoi (Kyrgyzstan), Abahani (Bangladesh), Yoedy (Chinese Taipei), Nepal National Champions (TBC).
Group B (Yangon, Myanmar; 10-14 May 2010)
Vakhsh (Tajikistan), Nagacorp (Cambodia), Khan Research Laboratories (Pakistan), Renown Sports Club (Sri Lanka).
Group C (Yangon, Myanmar; 9-13 May 2010)
Yadanarbon (Myanmar), ITTU (Turkmenistan), Drukstars (Bhutan).
