MD ANWAR ULLAH, Dhaka: Saad Uddin, a right winger of Bangladesh national football team, turned into one of the central characters after his amazing strike against India in the World Cup 2022 qualifying match in Kolkata on October 15, 2019.
Ahead of the upcoming two FIFA friendly matches against Nepal and the away World Cup 2022 qualifying match against Qatar scheduled to be held on December 4 (yet to be confirmed), the national team is now practicing in full swing.
Saad Uddin, talked to The Independent after a training session (gym works) on Monday, when he shared about the fitness status of the team ahead of the upcoming matches and how tough the matches would be for them after being forced to aloof from almost any football activities due to corona virus pandemic.
As far as the fitness of the team is concerned Saad said, “It’s been two weeks since we started our practice together. We were neither in shape nor fit but now it looks as if we are on course for getting back match playing conditions.”
“To prove our physical conditions, Nepal matches are very much important and also experimental as from these matches we would have real picture of our fitness. The matches will be very tough as after a long interval we will be playing international matches” added Saad.
“I Hope we will do well but it will be very tough and winning the matches are important because we had some bitter experiences against Nepal,” Saad explained about the importance and their expectation.
About the match against Qatar the host of the 2022 World Cup initially fixed for December 4, Saad said, “Actually, the
Qatar match would be too early to play due to the long gap of eight months. It would be really tough to face a team like Qatar with just one month’s practice. As I know they are in practice for long and played a match against Ghana and won.”
“In fact, the way coaches are working with us, we will regain understanding very quickly and the team is also in right shape but total fitness is the biggest factor,” Saad replied to a query.
Recollecting the memory of scoring the most important goal against India Saad said, “It’s really a huge inspiration for me. I would remember that for a long time.”
It can be mentioned that Bangladesh led their away match against India with an early goal from Saad Uddin though after some odd whistles finally Bangladesh had to leave the ground (Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan, Kolkata).UNB
