Fearless play only way to qualify for AFC semis: BFC coach

Albert Roca, the new Bengaluru Football Club coach, today said brave and fearless fight against Tampines Rovers in their den is the only way to beat them to make history by qualifying into the AFC semifinal stage.
"We have to go there (Singapore) without any fear and we have to be brave. This is the only way to beat these kind of teams, in this case Tampines Rovers, to make history," Roca told PTI here.
In a historic encounter, the BFC, which became the first Indian club to qualify for AFC Cup quarterfinals, beat Tampines with a solitary goal struck by striker C K Vineet inside ten minutes in the first of the two-leg quarterfinal on September 14 here.

The hosts will now be travelling to Singapore to play their second-leg quarterfinal against the visitors next week.
Ringing a note of caution, Roca said it would be tough to beat Tampines in their backyard.
"We know they have nothing to lose after losing to us 1-0. They will try to embarrass us. It will not be that easy for us. I am sure that in one week we will be ready for that again and we will try to pass the next round," he said.

Nevertheless, Roca said his team was confident of beating Tampines.
"We also know that our potential can trouble them. We have to be positive. We know that we can beat them," he said.

Asked the players, who were trained under the previous coach Ashley Westwood, were shaping up under his coaching, Roca said he was happy about how they have been training under him and accepted his philosophy of the game.
"Everybody is really focused on that. There is no question about their professionally. I am really happy about how they have trained until now," he said.
"From the beginning they have accepted all the changes because they are open to that. They know that each coach has his own mentality and philosophy of the game," he said.