Bangladesh midfielder Hamza Choudhury says his side will not fear any opponent as they prepare for their FIFA ASEAN Cup campaign, despite facing teams ranked higher in the FIFA standings.
Speaking to the media after Wednesday’s practice session, Hamza welcomed the chance to test Bangladesh against stronger opposition and said the squad wants to collect as many points as possible.
“We’re very excited and honoured to be included in this tournament. For us, it’s obviously a big opportunity to play against teams that are ranked higher than us,” Hamza said.
The midfielder, who joined the Bangladesh setup last year, acknowledged the gap in experience and quality but insisted that fear would not form part of Bangladesh’s approach.
“Internally, it’s to get as many points as we can. We’re not here to fear anyone. We know what we’re capable of,” he said.
Bangladesh will open their campaign against Malaysia on September 25 at 3pm (Bangladesh time), before facing Singapore on September 28 at the same time. They will finish their Group A campaign against hosts Indonesia on October 1 at 6.30pm. All three opponents sit above Bangladesh in the FIFA rankings, giving Thomas Dooley’s side a demanding test from the start.
Hamza, however, sees the tournament as more than a results-based challenge. He believes Bangladesh can use the matches to gain experience against stronger oppositions while trying to make an impression on the regional stage.
“It’s a learning curve for us, and we’re here to gain as much experience as we can and hopefully make our country proud,” he said.
The setting in Jakarta also carries a reminder of Bangladesh’s ability to exceed expectations. At the 2018 Asian Games, Bangladesh entered a difficult football group alongside Uzbekistan, Thailand and Qatar but reached the round of 16 despite low expectations. Their progress through that group remains one of the more memorable moments in recent Bangladesh football history.
Hamza also spoke positively about Indonesia, who Bangladesh will face in their final group match. He praised their squad, coaching staff and football culture, while pointing to their World Cup qualifying ambitions.
“They’ve got very good quality in the team, a very good head coach, and especially in the next World Cup qualifying round, I’d be surprised if they aren’t in and amongst the teams to go to the World Cup,” Hamza said.
The Bangladesh squad arrived in Jakarta earlier this week for the tournament, with Hamza among the overseas-based players expected to add experience to the team. Thomas Dooley had his full squad available for a second consecutive day on Wednesday as preparations continued for the Malaysia opener.
Hamza also praised the facilities in Indonesia after training, saying the pitches had provided the quality Bangladesh needed to prepare for the competition.
“The pitches have been very good. It’s been perfect for us. Perfect quality pitches for us to train on,” Hamza said.
With Malaysia waiting in Friday’s opener, Hamza’s message is clear: Bangladesh know the challenge ahead, but they will approach it without fear.
