Despite missing a few key players, Bangladesh will look to end their AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers on a high when they face already-qualified Singapore in the last match of Group C today.
The match will kick off at 6:00 pm Bangladesh time at the National Stadium in Kallang.
Singapore booked the lone spot from the group with 11 points from five matches while Bangladesh are third with five points, courtesy of a win against India and a draw apiece against India and Hong Kong.
The first leg in Dhaka ended in a 2-1 defeat for the hosts, but it could have very well ended in a draw after Bangladesh were denied a late penalty after Rakib Hossain had reduced the margin. Rakib, arguably Bangladesh’s best attacking player, will be missing due to a suspension and so will veteran centre-back Topu Barman. Injuries to midfielders Shah Quazem Kirmanee and Mohammad Ridoy has further hamstrung the team’s resources.
Bangladesh coach Javier Cabrera, however, felt that they have enough players to forge a positive outcome from this match.
“I am convinced that the players we have are the most prepared to achieve a good result tomorrow. I think we achieved something historical in the last game. Tomorrow, we have the chance to finish with eight points and secure seven points out of the last three games, which is really exciting for me,” the Spaniard said at the pre-match press conference on Monday.
The atmosphere at the closed-roof National Stadium is expected to be an electric one, with the hosts expecting a full-house crowd to celebrate their first-ever Asian Cup qualification on merit, which they confirmed in their previous match against Hong Kong.
Coach Gavin Lee has called up a full-strength side for this dead rubber, making only four changes from the squad that travelled to Bangladesh.
As per reports, 6,000 out of 52,000 tickets have been reserved for Bangladesh, which is expected to be filled up by a large expatriate crowd in Singapore.
Captain Jamal Bhuyan said they want to fight for the expatriate Bangladeshis who have followed them since the day the team landed in Singapore.
“Whenever we go to countries where there are many Bengalis, we quite often see this kind of crowd, which is very positive,” Jamal said. “It would be great if those fans who cannot get a ticket could get one and watch us play, because it is not every day the national team comes to Singapore. So, of course, we will have them in mind and fight for them as well.”
Congratulating Singapore for their qualification, Cabrera implied that they want to make it hard for the hosts and dampen their celebratory mood.
“We know the expectation tomorrow is also to celebrate the team's (Singapore) qualification, but we really want to put up a hard fight, at least at the same level as the first match,” said Cabrera, who could be standing in the Bangladesh dugout for the last time today unless the federation hands him another extension.
