Sports Reporter :
Bangladesh Under-23 Football team will leave Dhaka for Uzbekistan today to take part in the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers. The players of Bangladesh Under-23 Football team took part in their practice sessions under Coach Maruful Haque. Maruful Haque was the Head Coach of Bangladesh National Football team in 2015. After six years, Maruful Haque became a coach of Bangladesh Football squad. But this time he was not coach of a National squad. Maruful is now the Coach of Bangladesh Under-23 Football team. Hosts Uzbekistan, Bangladesh, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have been taken place in the Group-D of the AFC Under-23 Asian Cup qualifiers. The other three teams of the Group-D are stronger than Bangladesh. They also better than Bangladesh according to the FIFA rankings. There are 11 groups in the AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. Of them, the 11 champions team and four best runners-up including hosts Uzbekistan will compete in the final round. If Uzbekistan team can take the place of best-fifteen, the fifth runners runners-up will get chance to play in the final round.
Maruful Haque said, ” We want to qualify for the final round. So, we want to be the group champions or at least group runners-up. Uzbekistan will play in the final round as they are the hosts of the football meet. We want to achieve four points from rest of the two matches.”
Earlier, Bangladesh Under-23 Football team made a draw against their opponents Kuwait. Bangladesh never got any points against Saudi Arabia.
Maruful said, ” The Group-Draw ceremony was held before three months at least. After the Group-Draw ceremony, I wanted to work with my boys for three months. But I got only one month. I want that my boys will bring a good result after playing against their stronger opponents. I am taking that challenge.”
Maruful Haque did not get Tarique Kazi, Bishwanath Ghosh and Biplo Ahmed in his squad.
The Coach said, ” I have three alternate players for those footballers. I have included
expatriate of England Yusuf Zulkarnain in my squad. I don’t know the three alternate players can fill-up the absence of those star footballers. It is the reality. We have to realize the situation.”
Tutul Hossain Badshah will act as the Captain of Bangladesh Under-23 Football team.
Satyajit Das Rupu is the Manager of the team.
