Set-pieces took centre stage on Sunday as the Bangladesh national football team ramped up preparations for their crucial Asian Cup Qualifiers clash against Hong Kong, China. After a rest day on Saturday, the players returned to full training at the Dhaka National Stadium, emphasising corners, free-kicks, and other dead-ball situations under the guidance of head coach Javier Cabrera.
Cabrera expressed satisfaction with the team’s progress during the second week of camp. “The practice is going really well. I’m very positive about how things are going in the second week,” he said, noting that four more sessions remain before the home match on 9 October.
Addressing injury concerns, Cabrera added: “We announced a large squad for this reason. Ibrahim and Sumon Reza couldn’t recover in time, so we released them to their clubs. Tariq and Alamin are back in training today, and hopefully Topu will be fit soon.” Despite this, Topu still appeared cautious during running drills.
Bangladesh will also be strengthened by the arrivals of Hamza Choudhury and Shamit Shome on 6 and 7 October. Cabrera believes both players can add depth and experience, but stressed their impact will depend on how quickly they adapt. “Hamza will have three sessions, and Shamit will have a couple before the match. We expect a big impact from both,” he said.
Reflecting on the 2–1 defeat to Singapore, Cabrera admitted the team must be more consistent and clinical. “Many things didn’t go our way against Singapore. We need to be more consistent and, above all, we must score goals,” he said.
Forward Rakib Hossain highlighted the focus on set-pieces in the closed-door sessions. “We worked equally in all departments, but the coach has been focusing on set-pieces since we got many corners in the last match,” he said. “He is solving our mistakes and trying to turn those moments into scoring opportunities.” Rakib also noted that the camp atmosphere remains positive, adding that the arrival of Hamza and Shamit will help the team gel better.
Cabrera insisted the squad is determined to claim three points against Hong Kong. “They are strong and physical, with players from abroad, but we believe we can win if we fight for each other,” he said. “The level is similar to India and Singapore, so I expect a positive outcome.”
The home fixture on 9 October at the Dhaka National Stadium could prove decisive for Cabrera, with the return leg in Hong Kong five days later leaving little margin for error.
