A friendly of opportunities

Bangladesh and Singapore will get an opportunity to analyse each other ahead of the World Cup and Asian Cup Qualifiers when they face off in a FIFA International friendly match at the Bangabandhu National Stadium today.

The hosts and Singapore have lined up to prepare themselves for next month's Joint Qualifiers and the main focus of both sides is to find the right combinations by playing the friendly, where each side is given six substitutes instead of the regular three. It is expected that neither coach will waste this chance to check on their players before going to the big stage of the World Cup Qualifiers.

Bangladesh yesterday announced a 23-member squad for the friendly with strikers Enamul Haque, Towhidul Alam sabuj, defender Mohammad Linkon and German-based midfielder Reasat Islam returning to the fold.

Dutch coach Lodewik de Kruif is likely to bring a couple of changes to the playing eleven that played the Bangabandhu Gold Cup at home last February, as winger Zahid Hossin and defenders Raihan Hasan and Yeasin Khan are still nursing injuries, while others players are suffering from fatigue after restlessly playing domestic and international matches.

"It is a preparatory match. Our focus is on the two World cup and Asia Cup Qualifiers against Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. We want to use tomorrow's friendly to rehearse the style of play which we want to follow against Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan," said Bangladesh's assistant coach Saiful Bari Titu, in the absence of head coach de Kruif, who could not turn up for the official press conference due to stomach pains.

Though the assistant coach is looking to fix the style of play, fit-again captain Mamunul Islam is looking forward to doing something that would help his side in the FIFA ranking.

"If we can beat or draw against Singapore, who are a higher ranked side (162) than Bangladesh (169), it will help us climb up the FIFA rankings. So we will be trying to do something against them," said Mamunul.

Singapore's German coach Bernd Stange echoed Titu's sentiments, but sees the friendly as an opportunity to test some options for next World Cup Qualifiers.

"We both need this game as preparation for the upcoming World Cup and Asian Cup Qualifiers. We need to test our players as we are missing a few regular players, but our team is an experienced and good side and is ready to perform against the hosts," said Stange.

Terming Bangladesh as dark horses, Stange said, "I don't know too much about them but we don't underestimate any team. We are close in the World Rankings so it should be an interesting game," opined Stange.