Photo: Collected
Bangladesh National Football Team, which reached Kuwait City from Saudi Arabia on Sunday to play Palestine in their away group match of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, made their first gym session in Kuwait City on Monday (18 March).
Bangladesh will play their World Cup away match against Palestine on March 21 at 9:30 pm local time at the Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City.
After playing an away match with Palestine, the Bangladesh team will return home from Kuwait on March 22 and will play their home match also with Palestine on March 26 at 3:30 pm local time at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka.
Earlier, on arrival at the Kuwait Airport on Sunday afternoon, a good number of Bangladeshi fans, under the banner of Bangladesh Football Association- Kuwait, gave a warm reception to Bangladesh Football Team.
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qualifying match against Palestine, the Bangladesh National Team conducted an intensive two-week-long preparatory camp at the King Fahd Sports City Stadium in the Saudi Arabian City of Al Taif from March 3-17.
They also played two preparatory matches there against Sudan. Bangladesh drew goalless with Sudan in the first match and suffered 0-3 goals defeat in the 2nd and last match.
The Spanish head coach of the Bangladesh team Havier Cabrera, was very much satisfied with the training camp in Saudi Arabia amid adequate facilities and enough hospitality.
Earlier, Bangladesh played two World Cup Qualifier matches against Australia and Lebanon.
Bangladesh suffered a 0–7-goals-defeat against hosts Australia in their away match on Nov 16 and drew 1-1 with Lebanon in their home match in Dhaka on Nov 21.
Bangladesh earned the right to play in the six-match home and away basis Group I matches of the FIFA World Cup's Asian qualifiers, with the World Cup playing Australia, stronger Lebanon and Palestine eliminating the Maldives in the round-one-match.
28-member Saudi Arabia-bound Bangladesh squad are:
Goalkeepers: Anisur Rahman Zico, Mitul Marma, Mahfuz Hasan Pritom and Mehdi Hassan Srabon.
Defenders: Topu Barman, Bishwanath Ghosh, Hasan Murad, Rahmat Mia, Isa Faysal, Shakil Hossain, Saad Uddin and Taj Uddin.
Midfielders: Sohel Rana, Mohammad Ridoy, Chandan Roy, Md Sohel Rana, Mojibor Rahman Jony, Rabiul Hasan, Jamal Bhuyan, Syed Shah Quazem Kirmanee and Jayed Ahmed.
Forwards: Rakib Hossain, Sumon Reza, Foysal Ahmed Fahim, Rafiqul Islam, Rabbi Hossain Rahul, Shahriar Emon and Arman Foysal Akash.
Messenger/Sumon
