Australia are 156 places above Bangladesh in the latest FIFA ranking.
The huge difference in quality and strength is going to put more pressure on the visitors in the opening group-round World Cup qualifier in Melbourne Thursday.
The first difficulty most of the Bangladesh players faced soon after arriving Down Under was the weather which is much colder than in Dhaka.
“It’s been a bit challenging for us, maybe probably the weather, we were not expecting to be that good, trying to adjust,” Bangladesh head coach Javier Cabrera told a press conference Wednesday.
Being “optimistic and positive”, the Spanish tactician expected his charges to be competitive and get better with the experience before heading back.
“We know how challenging it is going to be and how strong Australia are going to be especially at home. We want to try to show what Bangladesh have been doing in the last two years. We are slowly improving and being a better team and able to compete with some good teams in the continent. Hopefully we will be able to fight and at least make things as difficult as possible for Australia,” he said.
Cabrera’s side have performed well this year with a couple of wins over South Asian neighbor and higher-ranked Maldives against whom they were lagging behind for almost two decades.
They also reached the semi-finals of the SAFF Championship for the first time in 14 years before holding higher-placed Afghanistan in two FIFA friendlies.
But defending the fort against more physical and attacking Socceroos away from home is going to be their toughest task this year.
Cabrera hinted this while talking about set piece threats.
“The way they are organized, the way they work, the discipline they have in this kind of situation, plus size and physical superiority, obviously for a team like us a huge challenge. Hopefully we will be able to fight and not give away many set pieces for corner kicks and wide free-kicks,” said Cabrera.
Along with the absence of first choice goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico and defender Topu Barman due to suspension, Bangladesh will also be missing Sohel Rana in midfield.
Cabrera did not reveal the replacement for Sohel but said the rest of the team would be unchanged.
“I don’t think we will make change just for a game. We have to take the best from here and make sure we are a better team after this experience,” said Cabrera.
Skipper Jamal Bhuiyan acknowledged the encounter as “one of the biggest games” for the whole group.
The midfield anchor said: “Australia are in another level than in Qatar. It’s going to be good experience for all the players but we also want to compete and show ourselves.
“We know it’s going to be very tough match but we have to make the best out of it. We have much more quality in the team now. We know what we want and can do.”
Last time Bangladesh played Australia, they lost 4-0 at home and 5-0 away in 2015.
Australia will not have the same team that reached new heights at last year's World Cup as coach Graham Arnold revealed that 17 players are absent from the Qatar campaign.
“There is no easy game in football. We have to give the respect to the opposition, no matter who it is we are facing. We have a standard to maintain and continue to rise,” said Arnold.
“The message to the group is we treat every game like a World Cup final,” said Arnold at a press conference on the same day.
The first match of Group I ahead of the 2026 finals in North America is scheduled to kick off at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium at 3pm Bangladesh time.
