Ord raring to surprise Jordan
Bethlehem, July 18: Bangladesh head coach Andrew Ord is looking forward to the U23 side’s AFC U23 Championship qualifiers clash with Jordan on Wednesday.
Ord said, “The first match of a tournament is always important. Jordan will face some pressure to qualify as group favourites. We hope to take advantage of their nervousness and complacency due to the expectations for being a favourite.”
Regarding match preparations, Ord hoped that the players, having already played 70 minutes each, would be physically fit enough to compete the whole 90 minutes at the same level.
When asked about his preferred starting eleven, Ord decided to keep mum, hoping to surprise Jordan on the field. However, he discussed several tactical approaches.
“We have worked on pressuring teams high up the pitch. However, that is not going to be possible for the whole 90 minutes. We have also worked on being compact and solid defensively so we can be tactically flexible and interchange plays as the situation demands.”
Ord hoped their experience in Qatar will help them overcome the natural conditions there.
“The temperature is in the 30 degrees Celsius range, so at kick off it will be hot. However the humidity is not as high as Bangladesh. The heat we have faced in Qatar will help us overcome these conditions.”
When asked about his targets throughout the qualifiers, Ord remained optimistic.
“Of course it is possible to win a match. Without that belief, there would be no point in entering tournaments! We will need to be at our best, play as a team and need that slice of luck to go our way at times.”
“We would love to dream and say we can achieve great things. There’s always hope in football. That’s why it’s such a popular game.”
When asked about tomorrow’s challenge, Ord hoped his players would step up.
“Their style is similar to other Middle Eastern countries but there are some European influences. They prefer to play at a quicker tempo while being a bit physical.”
“We need to capitalise on any mistakes they make and take our chances well. If we can get ahead, we can keep a clean sheet. Everybody needs to rise to the challenge and play their best.”
