Bangladesh seeks atonement

Bangladesh’s football players take on Lebanon, a country facing extreme conflict, in a crucial World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday. The game will start at 7 p.m. local time (10 p.m. Bangladesh time) at the neutral Khalifa International Stadium in Qatar.

Due to a card accumulation, Bishwanath Ghosh, a trustworthy defender, was forced to miss the match against Australia at home. Despite being unable to play on the pitch, Ghosh’s presence in the stands would surely motivate his teammates because he has personally observed their tenacity.

Played on November 21, 2023, at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka, the first leg of the match between Bangladesh and Lebanon resulted in a 1-1 draw.

When the Bangladeshi team arrived in Doha last Friday, they were met with an outpouring of fervent support from supporters eager for their team to succeed. On Saturday morning, once they had checked into their hotel, the squad used the on-site gym for a recuperative workout.

The Bangladeshi team is still in excellent health despite the intense heat in Qatar, where daytime highs may soar to 45 degrees Celsius. On Saturday, they began their first training session at the Qatar University TS4 East Training Ground at 6 p.m. local time, which is 9 p.m. Bangladesh Standard Time.

The difficult circumstances were noted by assistant coach Hasan Al Mamun, who stated, “Our training sessions will be focused on acclimatising to the daytime heat.” By Sunday, we aim to have adjusted to the local conditions.”

Mamun thinks this will be a hotly contested match, building on their impressive performance against a strong Australian team, where their resolute defence held tight.First and foremost, we want to defeat Lebanon. We hope to at least salvage a point from the first leg draw,” he emphasised.
Bangladesh gave a passionate performance against Australia, a six-time World Cup participant, in their home match last Thursday. They ultimately lost by a slim margin of 0–2, although they played with great tenacity throughout.

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Today’s final World Cup qualifier pits Bangladesh vs Lebanon.

The powerful Australians, who with one game remaining are already the victors of Group I, will take on Palestine at home in Perth on June 11.
ravaged by war Palestine has eight points from five games—two victories, two draws, and one loss—and is presently ranked second in the group.

With just three points from their five games—three draws and two losses—Lebanon is currently ranked third. Bangladesh’s only point, which came from the 1-1 draw against Lebanon in Dhaka, keeps them at the bottom of the table.

Bangladesh’s qualification effort has yielded inconsistent outcomes. They lost 0-5 away to Palestine, drew 1-1 at home with Lebanon, suffered a crushing 0-1 loss to Palestine in the final seconds of the home game, and suffered a humiliating 0-7 setback to Australia on the road.

With a win over Lebanon, the Tigers will be looking to wriggle back into the picture. This game is a vital chance for them to rekindle their dreams of qualifying.