Tough Draw for Bangladesh

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) released Bangladesh's international football schedule for national and club teams for the early part of 2008.

The national team received a very tough draw for the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers, where they will have to face hosts Kyrgyzstan for a place in the finals. Bangladesh are also pitted against rather easier opponents Afghanistan and Laos in the Group C qualifiers, which will be held in Kyrgyzstan from May 5-10.

The four group champions will join automatic qualifiers DPR Korea, Turkmenistan, India and Myanmar in the final round. The venue and date of the finals have yet to be decided. The Group A matches will be played in Chinese Taipei, initially chosen as the venue of the second edition of the tournament but cancelled by the AFC for lack of facilities. Apart from the hosts, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Guam complete the group.

Philippines will host defending champions Tajikistan, Brunei and Bhutan in Group B while Nepal compete at home against Palestine, Cambodia and Macao in Group D.

The inaugural AFC Cup was held in Bangladesh, which has not even won the rights to host club matches. Abahani, the professional football league champions of the country, will have to travel to Kathmandu to play their Group A matches of the AFC President's Cup.

It will be the local giants' return to international football after a long time as they failed to win a berth in the previous AFC Cup tournaments. After the Bangladesh Football Federation's failure to send any team to last year's AFC Cup as there had been no competition in 2006, Bangladesh's rating declined as they were demoted to the lowest ranked tournament of the AFC.

The other teams to play in the Himalayan Kingdom from April 20-24 are former President's Cup champions Regar-Tadaz of Tajikistan and national league winners of hosts Nepal and Pakistan. The Group B comprises of holders Dordoi Dynamo of Kyrgyzstan, Nagacorp FC of Cambodia and Taiwan Power of Chinese Taipei who play in Taipei. Colombo will host Group C involving local side Ratnam SC, Asgabat of Turkmenistan, Bhutan Transport United and Kanbawza from Myanmar.