Dhaka, Sep 26 (UNB) – Bangladesh national football team have started their residential training session under its head coach Jamie Day for the Joint Qualification (Round-1) of the FIFA World Cup 2022 and AFC Asian Cup 2023 at Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) artificial turf here on Thursday.     In the day’s practice session, Bangladeshi booters made hard practice with physical training, ball possession, ball passing and with ball movements. 

Bangladesh will play Qatar in their home match on October 10 at Bangabandhu National Stadium while meet their giant neighbor India in their away match on October 15 at Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

As a part of their preparation, Bangladeshi booters undergoing a two-week training session including two friendly matches against Bhutan on September 29 and October 3 at Bangabandhu National Stadium here. 
  
Bangladesh Head Coach Jamie Day said that they will try to play their best game against their giant rivals in the upcoming matches. 

“We have to be realistic. We know that the matches against Qatar and India will be difficult but we will try to play our best games against both of them. We need to be well organized in the match. Both games will be great experience for our players,” Jamie said after the training session.

Ahead of the matches, defender Raihan Hasan included in place of midfielder Masuk Miah Zoni, who ruled out of the 26-member preliminary squad due to injury.

Replying to a query, Jamie Day said, “Zoni is a good player. He ruled out for the whole season. We will miss him in the match. But Raihan is the best option in his position.”

Bangladeshi goalkeeper Ashraful Islam Rana said, “We are getting ready mentally and physically  for two strong opponents--Qatar and India. We are working hard and doing extra works for them. We have to play our best against them.”

Bangladesh, who put Group E of the AFC Cup with Qatar, Oman, neighbouring India and Afghanistan, started their campaign with a 0-1 goal defeat against Afghanistan in their first match at the Central Republican Stadium in the Tajik capital Dushanbe on September 10.
 
In the remaining group matches, Bangladesh will play Oman on November 14 in Oman, Afghanistan on 26 March 2020 in Bangladesh, Qatar on March 31 in Qatar, India on June 4 in Bangladesh and Oman on June 9 in Bangladesh.

26-member Bangladesh squad: Shahidul Alam Sohel, Ashraful Islam Rana, Anisur Rahman, Pappu Ahmed (GK), Sushanto Tripura , Rahmat Mia , Yeasin Khan, Bishwanath Ghosh, Riyadul Hasan, Yeasin Arafat, Tutul Hosain Badsha, SM ManjururRahman, Raihan Hasan (DF), Jamal Bhuiyan, Rabiul Hasan, Mamunul Islam Mamun, Sohel Rana, Biplu Ahamed, Arifur Rahman, Mohammad Ibrahim, Towhidul Alam Sabuz (MF), Mahbubur Rahman, Matin Miah, Nabib Newaz Jiban, Saad Uddin and Jewel Rana (FW).