UNB, Dhaka :
Bangladesh National Football team, which reached Kuwait City from Saudi Arabia on Sunday to play Palestine in their away group match of the FIFA World Cup (WC) Qualifiers, made their first gym session in the Kuwait City on Monday.
Bangladesh will play their World Cup away match against Palestine on March 21 at 9:30pm local time at the Jaber Al Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City.
After playing an away match with Palestine, Bangladesh team will return home from Kuwait on March 22 and will play their home match also with Palestine on March 26 at 3:30pm local time at the Bashundhara Kings Arena in Dhaka.
Earlier, on arrival at the Kuwait Airport on Sunday afternoon, a good number of Bangladeshi fans, under the banner of Bangladesh Football Federation, gave a warm reception to Bangladesh Football team.
Ahead of the FIFA World Cup Qualifying match against Palestine, Bangladesh National Team conducted an intensive two-week long preparatory camp at the King Fahd Sports City Stadium in Al Taif of Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from March 3-17.
They also played two preparatory matches there against Sudan.
Bangladesh drew goalless with Sudan in the first match and suffered 0-3 goals defeat in the 2nd and last match.
The Spanish Head Coach of Bangladesh team Javier Cabrera, was very much satisfied with training camp in Saudi Arabia amid adequate facilities and enough hospitality.
Earlier, Bangladesh played two World Cup Qualifier matches against Australia and Lebanon.
Bangladesh suffered a 0-7-goals-defeat against hosts Australia in their away match on Nov 16 and drew 1-1 with Lebanon in their home match in Dhaka on Nov 21.
Bangladesh earned the rights to play in the six-match home and away basis Group I matches of the FIFA World Cup’s Asian Qualifiers, with World Cup playing Australia, stronger Lebanon and Palestine. Bangladesh eliminated the Maldives in the round-one-match.
28-member Saudi Arabia -bound Bangladesh squad:
Goalkeepers: Anisur Rahman Zico, Mitul Marma, Mahfuz Hasan Pritom and Mehdi Hassan Srabon.
Defenders: Topu Barman, Bishwanath Ghosh, Hasan Murad, Rahmat Mia, Isa Faysal, Shakil Hossain, Saad Uddin and Taj Uddin.
Midfielders: Sohel Rana, Mohammad Ridoy, Chandan Roy, Md Sohel Rana, Mojibor Rahman Jony, Rabiul Hasan, Jamal Bhuyan, Syed Shah Quazem Kirmanee and Jayed Ahmed.
Forwards: Rakib Hossain, Sumon Reza, Foysal Ahmed Fahim, Rafiqul Islam, Rabbi Hossain Rahul, Shahriar Emon and Arman Foysal Akash.