The biggest day for booters
Ever since the draw for the Joint Qualifiers of the 2018 Russia World Cup and the 2019 UAE Asian Cup was made on April 14 this year, one particular fixture became a talk of the football fraternity in Bangladesh.
That fixture – a September 3 showdown at Perth's NIB Stadium between four-time World Cuppers Australia and rank-outsiders Bangladesh – was believed to be the biggest ever football match in Bangladesh's recent football history, or perhaps, in our football history altogether.
The reason is: The current crop of Bangladesh booters have never played a competitive fixture outside the Asian landscape, let alone a World Cup playing nation and current Asian champions on their own turf. The last time Bangladesh had faced a World Cupper was in the 2002 qualifying campaign against Saudi Arabia when most of the current Bangladesh players were in their infancy.
Now that the big day has finally arrived, a relatively young Bangladesh team, under the guidance of Dutchman Lodewijk de Kruif, is trying to not let the occasion get the better of them. Buoyed by a 1-1 draw against Tajikistan in the previous qualifying fixture at home and a stubborn 0-0 draw against Malaysia in a friendly fixture last week, the men in red and green are looking positively at the prospect of facing Australia and making an impression there.
De Kruif is not a man who likes to hide either his frustration or his ambition -- the Dutchman has been constantly reminding his employers of his due wages, even in the middle of practice sessions – so when he put on a brave face despite admitting the gulf of difference between the sides during the pre-match press conference, it was no surprise.
"It's a big difference in all sides of quality of life and playing football in Australia,” said the Dutchman, before adding: "We have our tactics, we have analysed the opponent very well. We will start our match very motivated and eager to get a good result. You have to consider that in football everything can happen."
De Kruif implied he knows what needs to be done to stop the hosts from a goal-fest. "I watched the game against Kyrgyzstan over there [when Australia won 2-1]. They made it very tough for Australia in that match," said the 45-year-old coach, who will have to watch the match from the stands due to a touchline ban.
Bangladesh skipper Mamunul Islam was as brave, if not as diplomatic, as his coach in his pre-match analysis.
"Everyone knows that Australia's level is the sky. But the Bangladesh team will fight. It's exciting, but not scary. Football is 11 versus 11."
Asked about the challenge of facing a player such as Tim Cahill, Mamunul said: "He has two arms and two legs. He is better than me, but everyone will try their best."
That is the attitude that the football loving people of Bangladesh would want to see from their players. If a semblance of that confidence is transformed onto the pitch, the biggest day in Bangladesh's football will get even bigger.
BANGLADESH (Probables): Sohel; Yeasin, Topu, Yeamin, Nasirul; Mamunul, Jamal, Hemanta/Monaem, Enamul, Jewel/Zahid; Emily
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