AFC U23 CHAMPIONSHIP QUALIFIERS 2018: Bangladesh U23s receive injury setback ahead of first game

As suspected earlier, Bangladesh U-23 football team received an injury setback ahead of their AFC U23 Championship Qualifiers 2018 campaign as forward Jewel Rana returned home due to groin injury. Young winger Mohammad Ibrahim was named as his replacement. The 23-man Bangladesh squad, including England-born Australia head coach Andrew Ord left the country last week. They played a friendly against Nepal U-23 team in Kathmandu on Tuesday and another friendly against Qatar Olympic side in Doha on Thursday.

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Also read: Ord begins with loss as Nepal U23s down Bangladesh U23s

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In between, they trained in Doha for three days. Jewel sustained the injury after the second friendly. The men in red and green then left Qatar for Palestine on Sunday afternoon.

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Also read: Bangladesh U-23 beat Abahani in practice match

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They were scheduled to arrive in Amman first before travelling by road to West Bank of Palestine. Ibrahim left Dhaka on Sunday and is expected to join the team in Amman. When the BFF announced the final squad, it also named a four-man waiting list, including Ibrahim. Prior to their departure from Dhaka, Ord was worried regarding the fitness of his charges. Bangladesh will take on Jordan in the first match of the AFC U-23 Championship on Wednesday before facing Tajikistan and Palestine on Friday and Sunday respectively.