National football team reach Qatar safely
Bangladesh's rivals Afghanistan and India have already started their preparations in Qatar.
The Bangladesh national football team reached Qatar safely to take part in their remaining three matches of the Fifa World Cup 2022 Qualifiers and AFC Asian Cup China 2023 (preliminary joint round).
A Qatar Air Lines flight, carrying the national football team, landed at Doha airport at 1:10 pm (local time). All members of the team are healthy and fine, said a Bangladesh Football Federation press release this afternoon.
Earlier, a 32-member of Bangladesh national football team left here for Qatar today (Friday) morning.
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The 32-member Bangladesh team included 23 players and nine team officials.
According to the fixtures of the Fifa World Cup 2022 qualifiers, Bangladesh will play against Afghanistan, India and Oman on June 3, 7 and 15 respectively.
Earlier, national team captain Jamal Bhuiyan expressed dissatisfaction over the failure of the Bangladesh Football Federation to arrange practice matches in Saudi Arabia.
Bangladesh football team was supposed to leave for Saudi Arabia last Monday on a five-day visit for training and to play a couple of warm-up matches as part of their preparation for the 2022 World Cup and 2023 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers.
But, the tour was cancelled just hours before the team's departure as the football federation did not receive a quarantine exemption letter from Saudi Arabia on time.
Bangladesh's rivals Afghanistan and India have already started their preparations in Qatar.
Meanwhile, just a day before their departure, Bangladesh national team played a preparatory match with former Bangladesh Premier League champions Sheikh Jamal DC at the Bangabandhu National Stadium Thursday and settled for a 2-2 draw.
Bangladesh squad – Sahidul Alam, Rasel Mahmud, Anisur Rahman, Rahmat Mia, Topu Barman, Riyadul Hasan, Yeasin Arafat, Rimon Hossain, Mehedi Hasan, Abibur Rahman Sohag, Tariq Raihan Kazi, Mohammad Emon, Jamal Bhuyan, Abdullah, Masuk Miah Zoni, Sohel Rana, Biplo Ahamed, Matin Miah, Rakib Hossain, Manik Hossain Molla, Mehadi Hasan, Suman Reza and Mohammad Jewel.
Team official-Iqbal Hossain (tam manager), James Day (head coach), Stuart Paul Watkiss (assistant coach), Leslie Cleevely (goalkeeping coach), Ivan Razlog (fitness coach), Hasan Mahmud (media officer), Nafiuzzaman (team doctor), Fuad Hasan Hawlader (physio) and Mohammad Mohsin (team attendant).
