Dhaka: Bangladesh is gearing up to secure their first win as they face Hong Kong China in a crucial Group C match of the AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers at the National Stadium under the floodlights tomorrow. The match is scheduled to kick off at 8 pm.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the match against Hong Kong is a do-or-die situation for Bangladesh. A loss would almost certainly end Bangladesh's hopes of advancing to the final round of qualification. Javier Cabrera's team is currently in third place in the table with one point from two matches, edging out India in Group C by virtue of goal difference. Bangladesh started their Asian Cup Qualification campaign with a goalless draw against India and suffered a 2-1 defeat to Singapore in their second match.
The Bangladesh team, which began their preparations on September 28 under the supervision of head coach Cabrera, will be bolstered by the presence of Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury and Canada-based midfielder Shamit Shome for the important game. The two teams have met four times in the past, with Hong Kong remaining undefeated in all encounters, winning two matches against Bangladesh since their first meeting in 2006.
On the other hand, Hong Kong currently sits joint top of the group alongside Singapore with four points each and is aiming to secure back-to-back qualifications for the Asian Cup. A victory against Bangladesh will certainly increase their chances of qualifying for the next round. Hong Kong is ranked 146th in the world, while Bangladesh is positioned at 184th according to the latest FIFA World Ranking.