Booters up against Tajikistan tomorrow

Bangladesh football team will be looking to come out with a good performance irrespective of the result in the first-leg play-off of the Asian Cup qualifiers against hosts Tajikistan at the Republican Central Stadium in Dushanbe, Tajikistan tomorrow. The match will get underway at 9:00pm (Bangladesh Standard Time). 

Six months since the Bangladesh team suffered a 5-0 defeat at the hands of the same opposition in a World Cup qualifier in Dushanbe, the two teams meet again for a place in the second round of the Asian Cup Qualifiers. Bangladesh had earlier held the Tajiks 1-1 in the home fixture earlier last year. 

“Our team is in good shape. We did hard work and we are ready to fight. Away match is always difficult. Last time we lost by five goals but the weather was very cold with rain at that time. This time the weather is very good,"Bangladesh skipper Mamunul Islam said in the pre-match press conference today.

"We are not afraid of Tajikistan but they have lots of quality in their team. But for sure we will give our full effort to fight back in tomorrow’s match,” Mamunul added.