The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Bangladesh begins the AFC Challenge Cup campaign taking on South Asian rivals Afghanistan today (Monday) in a Group C opener at the 19,000-capacity Spartak Stadium in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

The match kicks-off at 5:30 pm Bangladesh time.

Bangladesh, which hosted the inaugural edition of the tournament in 2006, will play hosts Kyrgyzstan in the remaining group match on May 9 (Friday).

Laos, the other team of the four-nation fray, pulled-out of the meet at the last moment on Friday, reducing the competition to a three-horse race.

In the last meetings, Bangladesh drew 2-2 with Afghanistan in the first match and beat them 4-1 in the 2nd match in the continental qualifier in Dhaka in 1979, but lost to Kyrgyzstan 0-3 in the Nehru Cup Football in India last year.

On the eve of departure on Friday, Bangladesh coach Abu Yusuf was found very optimistic about the tournament.

"Our aim is to prepare ourselves through the AFC Challenge Cup qualifiers for the SAFF Championship, but we'll desperately want to qualify for the finals," he said.

The former national defender said: "I've chosen those players who are capable of playing throughout the 90 minutes in line with my strategy. That is to go for attack and come down to defend all together."

In the inaugural meet in Dhaka, hosts Bangladesh quit from the race in the quarterfinal stage losing to Tajikistan by 1-6 goals. In the group matches, Bangladesh beat Cambodia 2-1, Guam 3-0 and drew 1-1 with Palestine.

In the first edition, Afghanistan finished bottom of their group with two draws.

Only the group champion team of the ensuing three-nation meet will qualify for the final round to be held in the Indian city of Hyderabad July 30-August 10 this year.

Sri Lanka became the first team to qualify for the final round as Group A champion last month.

DPR Korea, Turkmenistan, hosts India and Myanmar have direct entry to the final round of the tournament.