The much talked-about AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers match between two traditional rivals India and Bangladesh will be held on Tuesday (Match 25) in the Indian hill city of Shillong.
Bangladesh will start their four-team Group C campaign of the AFC Asian Cup with an away match against their giant rival India, which will kick off on Tuesday at 7:30pm at the grass ground of the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong.
The match will carry special significance as the Bangladesh-origin English Premier League playing attacking midfielder Hamza Dewan Choudhury is going to make debut for Bangladesh national team, for the first time for any national side.
Moreover, former Indian captain cum celebrated footballer Sunil Chettri returned back to the Indian team again from retirement to play against Bangladesh.
Ahead of the match against India, Bangladesh team took a 12-day intensive training in Saudi Arabia's city Taif before moving to India.
Addressing a pre-match official press conference in Shillong Monday noon, Bangladesh captain Jamal Bhuyan said, “although India (ranked 126) is 59 steps ahead of Bangladesh (ranked 185) in FIFA ranking, but we do not keep in mind, and our full focus is to win the match”.
“English Premier League player Hamza will be the main attraction and inspiration of our team against India and our players want to win the match,” he further added.
The Spanish Head Coach of Bangladesh team Javier Cabrera in the press conference said, “It will be an exciting and tight match (against India), we are ready and confident to do well making the things very difficult for India."
The Spanish Head Coach of India Manolo Marquez praised the inclusion of English footballer Hamza in the Bangladesh team saying “It is good for Asian football, he is a very good player and I think it will be a good game tomorrow (Tuesday)."
The India team, which prepared themselves at the match venue in Shillong for about the last ten days, beat the Maldives team by 3-0 goals in a preparatory match there last week.
Booters reach Shillong to play AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers against India
Bangladesh team, which reached Shillong last Thursday for the AFC Asian Cup match, failed to make proper practices there for not getting a standard practice venue.
Bangladesh practiced first last Friday at the below standard grass ground of the North -Eastern Hills University in Shillong.
Bangladesh did not practice at the University ground on the next day (Saturday) and looked for a grass ground there, but failed.
Finally, they were forced to make practices under rented floodlights at the turf of the Nehru Stadium Saturday evening.
Bangladesh team practices at the Nehru Stadium turf for the 2nd consecutive day Sunday afternoon, although they have to play a match against India in the grass ground.
However, Bangladesh team will make final practices at the match venue of Jawaharlal Nehru in Shillong on Monday
Bangladesh squad:
Goalkeepers: Mitul Marma, Sujon Hossain, and Mehdi Hasan Srabon.
Defenders: Shakil Ahad, Shakil Hossain, Rahmat Mia, Isa Faisal, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Topu Barman, Saad Uddin, Mohammad Ridoy and Syed Shah Quazem Kirmranee
Midfielders: Md Sohel Rana, Sohel Rana, Chandon Roy, Mojibar Rahman Jony, Shekh Morsalin, Jamal Bhuyan, Hamza Dewan Chowdhury and Foysal Ahmed Fahim.
Forwards: Rakib Hossain, Shahriar Emon, Mohammad Ibrahim and Al Amin