Dhagandey joins Club Eagles' trainings ahead of playoff game

Football legend Ali "Dhagandey" Ashfaq has joined Club Eagles' training sessions ahead of its AFC Cup 2021 playoff match.

While he was seen at the club's training session on Tuesday, Eagles is preparing for its match in the AFC Cup 2021 playoff game against India's Bengaluru FC this August.

Dhagandey is described as the best player in the history of Maldivian football, having achieved numerous achievements since starting out his professional career at the age of 16 in 2001 with Club Valencia. Since then, he has played various local clubs such as New Radiant Sports Club, VB sports Club, Maziya Recreation and Sports Club, TC Sports Club and Green Streets Club. Dhangandey has also played for foreign club's such as Malaysia PDRM FA and Brunei's DPMM FC.

Club Eagles, who has the opportunity to make seven changes to its squad list for the game, recently brought in experienced players forward Ali "Sentey" Fasir and mid-fielders Mohamed "Baka" Arif and Ismail "Messi" Easa.

Dhagandey and Sentey played for Club Valencia in the last football season which ended in May.

An Eagles official had previously told RaajjeMV that they will be using the opportunity to change players to make the team stronger. He had hinted that other players will join the team ahead of the playoff game.

The team’s skills are being sharpened for the upcoming AFC Cup playoff game, to be held on August 15. The winners will join India’s ATK Mohun Bagan FC, Maldives' Maziya Sports & Recreation, and Bangladesh's Bashundhara Kings in Group D of the AFC Cup 2021.

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) recently announced that AFC Cup 2021 Playoff and Group D matches will be held in Maldives.

The group matches will commence after the playoff game between Club Eagles and Bengaluru FC on August 15; to be held across three match days on August 18, 21 and 24, with the eventual group leader advancing to the single-leg Inter Zone Semi-final.