Day-less Bangladesh, Nepal's hard work in training

Bangladesh received a bad news in the form of Jamie Day's positive Covid-19 report which forced the national team join the training session without the head coach only two days before the game against Nepal. 

The visitor, on the other hand, found the Covid-19 reports of all contingent members negative. 

The news brought joy in the camp as the team worked hard for more than two and a half hours in the morning training session.

Covid-19 tests of a total 75 members of both teams came up negative except Day, whose result was announced in the morning after the samples were collected the previous day. 

It was Day's fifth Covid-19 test with all previous reports coming out negative. 

The test was done again and the report is due for Sunday night.

Assistant coach Stuart Watkiss conducted the afternoon's practice session at the BNS for around two hours in the presence of 30 players and rest of the coaching staffs. 

It was originally scheduled for morning.

The absence of head coach was evident in training, and in the faces of the players like Saad Uddin and Mahbubur Rahman Sufil.

The training plans were prepared after discussing with Day before leaving the team hotel, said Amer Khan, who joined the practice session for the first time since he was named the new manager of the national team only a day before Friday's first friendly.

“Of course, it has an effect when someone in the family gets sick. Jamie is still with us. There are still two days left. He will be tested again and we are hoping he would join us soon. We are not worried,” said Amer.

Bangladesh's practice session comprised of stretching, passing, ball control, crossing, finishing and shooting. 

Nepal meanwhile spent most of the time playing games at Lt. Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club ground. 

First, they divided the players into two small teams followed by 9 v 9 afterwards. 

Nepalese players were in cheerful mood after the news of Covid-19 results of all the team members came out negative, including defender Ranjit Dhimal whose report came positive two days earlier.

Bangladesh are eager to seal the two-game Mujib Barsho International Fifa Friendly Football Series 2020, and the touring side to level it when the two neighbors face off in the final friendly Tuesday.