Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera told reporters on Monday at a pre-match press conference at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel that his side will go all out for victory when they meet India in the AFC Asian Cup qualifier at Dhaka National Stadium on Tuesday, 18 November. Cabrera said his players have analysed the recent friendly against Nepal, worked on the issues the low block exposed and practised the game plans they believe can win the derby at home.
Cabrera admitted Nepal’s defensive setup made life difficult but insisted India will play with more ambition and that Bangladesh are ready. “Nepal sat very deep and that makes it hard for any team,” he said. “If the spaces are not there you must be patient. We analysed why we could do some things against Nepal and why we could not do others. We have worked on that and hope things go well tomorrow.”
Emotion will be a factor in a South Asian derby, Cabrera warned, but he urged calm and discipline. “There are a lot of emotions in this match. It is a special derby and those emotions must be controlled,” he said. “We have the level and we are stronger than ever. We must take this opportunity to finally win against India.”
Cabrera set a clear objective: three points. “My personal message is that we have to win,” he said. “The team must go out with motivation and a good plan. We have analysed India properly and we know we can hurt them. It is about how we manage the match and take the momentum. We deserve the three points and we will fight for them.”
The coach was frank about last-minute lapses that cost Bangladesh victory in recent friendlies and said learning from that will be decisive. “Conceding in the final minutes cannot happen if we want three points,” he said. “We must keep analysing those situations, learn from them and work on them. We defended the box well in Hong Kong away and sometimes we managed similar situations properly. That is the standard we need to hit tomorrow.”
Cabrera ended on a note of confident resolve. “The team is improving, dominating more teams and getting closer to the wins we deserve. It is going to happen and we are convinced it will happen tomorrow,” he said.
The match offers Bangladesh a chance to claim regional bragging rights even though both sides are out of qualification. Cabrera’s tactical tweaks, focus on composure and insistence on securing three points set the tone for a high-stakes encounter in Dhaka.
