Bangladesh's footballers head into a critical World Cup qualifier against Lebanon on Tuesday, a nation battling immense strife. The match will be played at the neutral venue of Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar, with kick-off at 7pm local time (10pm Bangladesh time).
A dependable defender, Bishwanath Ghosh, was forced to miss the home clash against Australia due to a card accumulation. Though unable to take the field himself, Ghosh's presence in the stands will undoubtedly inspire his teammates, having witnessed their fighting spirit firsthand.
The first leg between Bangladesh and Lebanon, played on November 21st, 2023, at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka, ended all square – a 1-1 stalemate.
Upon arrival in Doha last Friday, the Bangladesh squad were greeted by a wave of passionate support from fans yearning for their team's success. After settling into their hotel on Saturday morning, the team undertook a recovery session within the on-site gymnasium.
Despite the scorching Qatari temperatures, which can reach a staggering 45 degrees Celsius during the day, the entire Bangladesh squad remains in good health. Their initial training session took place on Saturday at the Qatar University TS4 East Training Ground, kicking off at 6pm local time (9pm Bangladesh Standard Time).
Assistant Coach Hasan Al Mamun acknowledged the challenging conditions, admitting, "The focus of our training sessions will be on acclimatising to the daytime heat. We're hopeful of adjusting to the local conditions by Sunday."
Building on their commendable performance against a formidable Australian side, where their resolute defence held firm, Mamun believes this will be a fiercely contested encounter. "Our primary goal is to secure a victory over Lebanon. At the very least, we want to come away with a point after the first leg draw," he emphasised.
In their home game last Thursday, Bangladesh displayed a spirited performance against a six-time World Cup participant, Australia. Though ultimately falling to a narrow 0-2 defeat, they showcased commendable fighting spirit throughout the match.
The mighty Australians, already crowned Group I champions with a match to spare, will play Palestine in their home fixture on June 11th in Perth.
War-torn Palestine currently occupy second place in the group with eight points from five matches, having secured two wins, two draws, and one defeat.
Lebanon sit in third position with just three points from their five games, having drawn three and lost two. Bangladesh remain at the bottom of the table with a solitary point, earned from the 1-1 draw against Lebanon in Dhaka.
Their qualification campaign has seen mixed results for Bangladesh. They suffered a heavy 0-7 defeat to Australia away, drew 1-1 with Lebanon at home, lost 0-5 to Palestine away, and conceded a heartbreaking 0-1 defeat to Palestine in the dying moments of the home match.
The Tigers will be aiming to claw their way back into contention with a positive result against Lebanon. This match presents a crucial opportunity to reignite their qualification hopes.
