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February
5, 2001
Dhaka-- (UNB) - A 26-member Bangladesh national football team leaves here for Saudi Arabia today (Monday) morning to participate in the qualifying round of the World Cup Football hoping to play entertaining matches against their Asian opponents.
The four-team Asian Group-10 involving hosts Saudi Arabia, Vietnam, Mongolia and Bangladesh will play two-leg basis matches at the Mohammad Bin Fahad Stadium in Dammam on February 8-19.
Only the group champions will qualify for the final round of the Asian qualifying meet.
Country's premier striker Alfaz Ahmed of Mohammedan SC has been named the captain while medio Iqbal Hossain of Abahani Limited made his deputy in the Bangladesh squad comprising 20 booters and six officials.
In the first leg, Bangladesh will play Vietnam on Feb. 8, hosts Saudi Arabia on Feb. 10 and Mongolia on Feb. 12. In the returnleg, Bangladesh will play with the same teams in the same order on Feb 15, 17 and 19.
Austrian coach of Bangladesh George Kottan, who played an important role in the team selection, was found optimistic yesterday. Physical fitness of the players are improving very rapidly, he said and advised the booters to play safe and quick football keeping the ball with them as much as possible.
Addressing a press briefing last (Sunday) afternoon, Kottan said he has no clear idea about their opponents, including Asian giant Saudi Arabia. So, he said he would fix the strategy after watching the Saudi-Mongolia match on Feb 8.
The Bangladesh coach informed that three players of the squad — Tito, Mintoo and Moni - sustained injury last week during a preparation match with the Bangladesh Army team.
Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) general secretary Harun-ur-Rashid MP, team leader Sirajul Islam Bachchu and captain Alfaz Ahmed were present in the briefing.
Later, the Saudi Arabia-bound team made a courtesy call on State Minister for Youth, Sports and Cultural Affairs Obaidul Quader at the NSC yesterday (Sunday).
Team Leader - Sirajul Islam Bachchu, Manager - Badal Kumar Roy, Coach - George Kottan, Asstt Coach - Hasanuzzaman Bablu, Physio - Shafiqur Rahman and Team Asstt - Hamiduzzaman Noman.
Players: Alfaz Ahmed (captain), Iqbal Hossain (vice-captain),
Aminul Haq, Biplob Bhattacharya, Firoz Mahmud Tito, Prodeep Kumar Poddar, Kazi Nazrul Islam, Papel Mahmud, Hasan Al Mamun, Motiur Rahman Munna, Saifur Rahman Moni, Rokonuzzaman Kanchan, Zulfiqur Mahmud Mintoo, Maksudul Amin Rana, Manwar Hossain, Faisal Ahmed, Rajani Kanta Barman, Rezaul Karim Liton, Mustafa Anwar Parvez Babu and Mohammad Sujan.
Besides, four members of Bangladesh Football Federation – Abdur Rahim, Fazlur Rahman Babul, MM Shahriar Rumi and Golam Mohammad Alamgir - will also tour Saudi Arabia at the invitation of Saudi Arabian Football Federation.
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