Bangladesh football team will be holding a 15-day training camp in Saudi Arabia ahead of away (March 22) and home (March 26) fixtures of FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Palestine without Sheikh Morsalin and Tariq Kazi due to injury.
Bangladesh Football Federation Wednesday announced 28 names for the travelling squad as well as the Palestine encounters excluding the two reliable choices.
Morsalin sustained a foot injury, and is also facing nerve issues, during a Federation Cup match against Fortis FC last December.
The youngster has been without a game since then while Tariq is out with ankle injury he incurred against the same opponent in the same competition earlier this month.
The good news for national team’s Spanish head coach Javier Cabrera is the return of first-choice goalkeeper Anisur Rahman Zico and center-back Topu Barman from suspension.
The return of experienced Topu may lessen the blow of losing defender Tariq to injury but Morsalin’s unavailability in the attack is a big setback.
Morsalin scored during Bangladesh’s last group fixture against Lebanon to earn a creditable 1-1 draw against the higher ranked side.
Brothers Union forward Rabby Hossain Rahul has been called up as probable replacement of Morsalin after netting five goals in the ongoing league so far.
Cabrera also called two more new faces in the squad.
Police FC midfielder Syed Shah Quazem, son of former first-class cricketer Halim Shah, went to Canada at the age of seven and came back to play in Bangladesh league last season.
Sheikh Jamal Dhanmondi Club’s Taj Uddin is the brother of national team’s versatile defender Saad Uddin.
Both are in Cabrera’s tent.
The men in red and green are scheduled to leave here Saturday and will be based at King Fahad Sports Complex in Tayef City until March 17.
