Under the able guidance of Argentine coach Diego Cruciani, Team Bangladesh have been playing attractive and intelligent brand of football, building attacks with neat short-passes whenever they get possession and surprise the opponents down the middle or flanks.

And even their second-choice side held mighty India to a draw in their last group match a couple of days ago to prove that Bangladesh have definitely improved under Cruciani merely in two months.

The confidence and authority they have showed in the three matches so far, controlling proceedings as well as upsetting opposition's plans, Cruciani's charges have already earned the respect of their opponents.

In addition, consistency of the forwards and their clinical finishes have raised their hopes of retaining the title. However, things would not be as easy as it had been against Bhutan, Nepal or India in the group stage.

Backed by the home crowd, the physically superior Pakistanis would be ready to unsettle Bangladesh's style in the battle for a place in the December 17 final.

"It's the knockout stage and tomorrow's game would be very tough. I don't expect good football because both teams would be fighting," said Cruciani yesterday.

"Pakistan are very strong but we need to create space and move the ball as we have been doing so far. It would be better for us.

"I don't want the opposition to take advantage from long balls and headers. So, I told my boys not to give Pakistan freekicks near our area. It is very important," he said while highlighting Pakistan's strongest point.

A good match-reader, the 41-year-old also pointed out that the Pakistani defenders are strong in the air but not good at ground.

"So we should keep the ball on the grass and attack from the wings. This would be our hard point.

"Zesh (Rahman) is not a good ball-player. I don't see any particular player who could be dangerous, it's rather the whole team. But tomorrow, I think we will play against the Pakistan team and the supporters and hope we don't have to play against the referee. It would be a close match and we would be attacking and have to be careful when their two fast players come on the counter."

The memory of conceding five yellow cards in the second group match would be haunting the players and team management against the home team but everyone believes that Cruciani, a master strategist, would be able to cope with that.

Cruciani, who will field the team that started in the first two games, said after yesterday's training session that he would not give Emily a start despite scoring 'two beautiful goals' in the tournament.

"He is a very good player and I think he is not a promise any more. He is a reality. But he has to wait for more exposure."

Pakistan's Bahraini coach Salman Ahmed Sharida predicted that it would be 'anybody's game' at this stage.

"All four semifinalists are equally powerful. So the team performing well on the given day would be the winner. I don't think there would be any such thing as home advantage for us," said Sharida, who took over the national side at the end of October.

"Bangladesh, as the holders, are a high spirited team. But so are we. I believe in performance and hope to see a very competitive match tomorrow."

HEAD-TO-HEAD
DATE	SCORELINE	EVENT	VENUE
2.5.1985	Bang 2: Pak 1	Quaid-e-Azam Trophy	Peshawar
21.12.1985	Bang 2: Pak 1	SAF Games	Dhaka
25.11.1987	Bang 0: Pak 1	SAF Games	Kolkata
26.10.1989	Bang 0: Pak 1	SAF Games Final	Islamabad
24.12.1991	Bang 0: Pak 1	SAF Games	Colombo
25.3.1995	Bang 0: Pak 1	SAARC Gold Cup	Colombo
24.4.1999	Bang 4: Pak 0	SAFF Championship	Goa