
National league champions Dempo will start their AFC Cup 2008 campaign against Al Ansar of Lebanon while East Bengal take on another Lebanese side Safa, according to the draws held in Kuala Lumpur.
Dempo will play Al Ansar at home in the first match of Group A on March 11. The Kolkata outfit, who qualified for the Asia’s second tier club competition by virtue of winning the Federation Cup, will go to Lebanon for their Group B tie, also on March 11.
Twenty teams were drawn in five groups of four each. The winners of each group along with the three best runners-up will reach the quarters.
AFC cup Schedule
Dempo
March 11 (home): vs Al Ansar (Lebanon); March 18 (away): vs Sur (Oman); April 2 (home): vs Al Muharraq (Bahrain); April 16 (away): vs Al Muharraq; April 30 (away): vs Al Ansar; May 14 (home): vs Sur
East Bengal
March 11 (away): vs Safa (Lebanon); March 18 (home): vs Ahli Sanaa (Yemen); April 2 (away): vs Al Wihdat (Jordan); April 16 (home): vs Al Wihdat; April 30 (home): vs Safa; May 14 (away): Ahli Sana’a