Bangladesh Premier League(BPL)Football champions Bashundhara Kings need just a point against Odisha FC of India in the remaining Group D match to qualify for the AFC Cup Inter Zone play-off semifinals.

The Kings will play their remaining Group D match, an away encounter, with Odisha FC of India on December 11 at 8 pm at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar to assure their first-ever AFC Cup inter zone play-off semifinal.

Odisha FC made the Bashundhara Kings task easier on Monday night eliminating Indian giant and hosts Kolkata Mohun Bagan Club outplaying them by 5-2 goals at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata in a Group D match.

AFC Cup Football: Bashundhara Kings close to inter-zone play-off semifinals, beat Maziya SRC

After the 5th round of Group D, Bashundhara Kings topped the list securing ten points, Odisha FC followed the Kings collecting nine points, Kolkata Mohun Bagan Club in the 3rd slot with seven points while Maziya S&RC in the bottom with three points.

Kolkata Mohun Bagan Club were eliminated from the AFC Cup race with one match to spare against Maziya S&RC on December 11 at 4 pm in Male as they went behind the Kings in head to head counting.

Earlier on Monday, Bangladesh champions Kings, coming from behind, smartly entered the AFC Cup race beating the Maldives champions Maziya Sports & Recreation Club by 2-1 goals in the last ten minutes thriller at their home ground --Bashundhara Kings Arena-- Monday evening.

AFC Cup: Bashundhara Kings to play Maziya SRC on Monday aiming to stay top

This was the 3rd time that Bashundhara Kings won the AFC Cup match, coming from behind.

Bashundhara Kings, which was placed in four-team Group D of the AFC Cup with Odisha FC and Mohun Bagan Club of India, and Maziya SRC of the Maldives, already played five matches.

Bashundhara Kings made a frustrating start with 1-3 goals defeat against Maziya SRC in away match, bounced back in the race beating Odisha FC by 3-2 goals in home match, played 2-2 draw with Kolkata Mohun Bagan in away match in Odisha and made a history with their first- ever win against Kolkata Mohun Bagan by 2-1 goals in home match, apart from Monday's 2-1 victory over Maziya S&RC.

Each of the four Group D teams of the AFC Cup 2023-24, a 2nd-Tier Asian Continental Club Football Competition after AFC Champions League, are playing each other in six home-and-away round-robin format.

Later, the table toppers will progress to the AFC Cup's next stage--the inter-zone play-off semi-finals.