Bangladesh will face India in their much-anticipated AFC Asian Cup qualifying match scheduled to be held at the National Stadium on Tuesday.
The match will kick off at 8 pm and will be telecast live on T-Sports, reports BSS.
Although both teams are already out of contention for a knockout spot, Tuesday's clash will decide their final group standings.
Bangladesh and India have secured two points each, with Bangladesh ranked third and India fourth. Both sides are still searching for their first win in this stage.
As part of their preparation, Bangladesh played out a fighting 2-2 draw against Nepal in their most recent match, showing notable improvement in defensive structure and discipline compared to their earlier 3-4 loss to Hong Kong.
Ahead of the match, both teams expressed hope of ending their group campaign with a victory.
Earlier, prior to the match, Bangladesh skipper Jamal Bhuyan sounded optimistic about earning all three points against India.
"We are all waiting for the match... It'll be a good match, inshallah. We have prepared well and worked hard. Though we conceded a late goal against Nepal, we want to forget that and focus on the India match," Jamal said.
He added that the team's confidence is high, and they are determined to secure a win.
When asked about often being left out of the playing eleven despite being captain, Jamal said, "I am not sure whether I will play tomorrow or not, but I want to play. It feels bad if I can't play."
Jamal also noted that India are not in their best form at the moment and Bangladesh should capitalize on that opportunity.
Bangladesh are boosted by Hamza's presence, who has played six matches and scored four goals.
Asked whether India have any special plans to contain Hamza, Indian head coach Khalid Jamil said, "Bangladesh are a strong side with quality players, and we are not taking them lightly."
Regarding India's recent poor performances, Jamil said, "We are thinking about tomorrow's match. Although it is a qualifier, we are taking it very seriously because it is not a friendly match. We want to win."
One of the major talking points in Bangladesh-India encounters has been Sunil Chhetri, who retired last year but was briefly brought back for India's home match against Bangladesh on March 25. Coach Jamil, however, did not consider him this time. When asked about Chhetri, Jamil responded, "He has retired."
The Indian coach added that since Bangladesh have many talented footballers, his focus is not only on Hamza but on the entire squad.
Earlier, the first-leg AFC Asian Cup qualifier between India and Bangladesh in Shillong ended in a goalless draw.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
