Bangladesh will play lowly Singapore in their 3rd and last Pool B match of the nine-nation Men’s Asian Games Hockey Qualifier at Queen Sirkit Commemorative Stadium in Thai capital Bangkok on Thursday.
The match will kick-off at 2 pm local (Bangkok) time.
Ahead of the Thursday’s match, Bangladesh team made their practices in Bangkok Wednesday morning.
After winning the first two Pool B matches against Indonesia and Sri Lanka by 3-1 goal each, the men in red and green Bangladesh not only confirmed their berth in the Asian Games Hockey’ 2022 but also reached the semifinal of the ongoing Men’s Asian Games qualifier with one match to spare.
Bangladesh team, which comfortably dominated the Pool B securing full six points from straight two matches, needed just a draw against winless Singapore on Thursday to reach semis as the group champions.
On the other hand, Singapore remained at bottom in the four-team Pool B with one point from two matches after playing goalless draw with Indonesia and conceded 2-5 goal defeat against Sri Lanka.
In the first match against Indonesia, Sarwar Hossain, Pushkar Khisha Mimo and Fazle Hossain Rabbi scored one goal each while in the 2nd match against Sri Lanka, Ashraful Islam, Khurshedur Rahman and Roman Sarkar scored one each for Bangladesh.
On completion of the Asian Games qualifier, Bangladesh team led by new captain Khorshedur Rahman will travel to Indonesia directly from Thailand to compete in the Men’s Asia Cup Hockey to be held in Jakarta from May 23 to June 1.
In the eight- nation Hero Men’s Asia Cup Hockey, Bangladesh team also been placed in Pool B with Malaysia, Korea and Oman.
Bangladesh will face Korea on May 23, Oman on May 24 and Malaysia on May 26.
Earlier, Bangladesh qualified for the Hero Men’s Asia Cup Hockey 2022 by clinching the Men’s AHF Cup Hockey title for the fourth consecutive times in Jakarta in last March.
Source: United News of Bangladesh