Sports Reporter :
Bangladesh cut a very sorry figure in the second round of the World Cup Football 2018 and Asia Cup Football 2019 qualifiers. In eight matches, they collected just one point, scored two goals and conceded as many as 34 goals in Group B and thereby gave an indication that Bangladesh needed an overhauling to improve in football.
A former footballer said, the national team should be disbanded in no loss of time for rebuilding with fresh blood under a home coach having no political connection. As Bangladesh will have to take part in the play-off matches to sail into the final round of the Asia Cup Football 2019, immediate action is demanded.
By this time, Iran, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Thailand and Qatar have qualified into the third round of the World Cup Football 2018 qualifiers.
The names of the remaining teams will known on Tuesday from among Australia, China, Japan, Jordan, North Korea, Oman, Syria and Uzbekistan.
In the second round, 40 nations were divided into eight groups of five. According to clause, eight group champions and four best runners-up will move into the third round where the 12 teams will again be divided into two groups of six.
Two top teams from each group will reach the final round of the World Cup Football Russia, while the two third placed teams will clash in a play-off between them for facing Oceania champions.
The remaining 2nd round matches will be held between Australia and Jordan, Afghanistan and Singapore, Japan and Syria, China and Qatar, Philippines and North Korea, Lebanon and Myanmar, India and Turkmenistan, Palestine and Timor, Iran and Oman, UAE and Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Vietnam, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, Maldives and Bhutan, Bahrain and Uzbekistan.
If Syria beat Japan, both will qualify. In Group B, Jordan also must beat Australia to stay in the race, otherwise may face elimination should China beat Qatar at home. UAE will qualify if they beat Saudi Arabia.
In case of defeat, they may miss the next World Cup. Uzbekistan need only a draw to advance into the final round of the Asia zone qualification, but in case of defeat, they will have to wait for results of other matches of the day.
Oman must beat Iran, or will be exited. Iran will finish atop even if they lose to Oman on Tuesday. For North Korea, it is also a must win game even though it is an away match against Philippines.
As for Asia Cup 2019, eight group champions and runners-up will move into the final round, and then a total of 24 teams eliminated from World Cup qualification in the second round will compete in the third round of 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification (which will be separate from the third round of 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification), where they will be divided into six groups of four teams and compete for the remaining eight slots of the 2019 AFC Asian Cup. The 24 teams will consist of the 16 highest ranked teams eliminated in the second round, and the eight teams that advance from the play-off round of 2019 AFC Asian Cup qualification which are contested by the remaining 12 teams eliminated in the second round.
