Bangladesh Television will telecast

The first competitive match at the venue after its renovation, which kicks off at 5pm, will be telecast live by Bangladesh Television.

"We will play to win and I have the confidence in my boys," said Hong Kong coach Tsang Wai Chung, who visited Dhaka last year with the national team for the Asian Cup qualifier.

"The weather was hot and humid and my players struggled. But it's excellent weather for football now, even better than home. I think my players will enjoy the situation and as far as I know about the venue, they would like the facilities," Chung told a press conference at the BFF Bhaban.

"We have five and six players who have occasionally represented the senior team," informed the coach adding that their recent preparation for the game was home and away matches against the Guang Dong state.

The visitors' advantage would be experience and superior exposure as they took the same squad to the Asian Games in Doha last December. Hong Kong finished second in their group, behind Iran after losing to the group winners 1-2. They drew 1-1 with India and beat Maldives 1-0.

The local boys, on the other hand, have had less preparation under Abu Yusuf.

Lack of domestic football resulted in unfit players when coach Yusuf got the team to train but the former national centre-back said that his boys are now 'fit enough to match an international opposition'.

"The players have recovered well after two practice matches and now look ready to fight any team for full 90 minutes in international standard," said Yusuf, whose side drew 2-2 with Dhaka Mohammedan and lost 2-3 to touring South Korean amateurs Ulsan Hyundai Mipo Dockyard FC last week.

"We've used the recovery period after those games and my preparation is satisfactory. I don't know much about the opponents but the level of Hong Kong's football is higher than us.

"Still, I think they would not be better than Ulsan, whose temperament and experience put pressure on us to win after conceding a 2-0 lead.

"We showed lacking in midfield and attack but have to improve if we want to beat Hong Kong.

"We are not in a position to set a strategy beforehand. We have different plans and will go according to situation," he said replying to a question.

"We will play positive football and certainly to win in this leg," added Yusuf, who also trimmed the 25-member squad to 18 yesterday.

Abahani fullback Waly Faisal has been chosen to lead the side to play in a 4-4-2 formation.

Meanwhile, the Global Beverage Company who bought the commercial rights of the match from the Bangladesh Football Federation for Tk 2 lakh, will distribute 20,000 eastern gallery tickets for students.

The makers of Virgin soft drinks, who has earned the rights of setting 30 billboards inside the ground, will also organise gallery parties.

"We are hoping at least 10,000 students would turn out. This is our first involvement in football and we hope to continue it," told Nasir Rizvi, director of Global Beverage.

Tickets will cost Tk 50 and Tk 20 respectively for VIP and the west gallery.

BANGLADESH SQUAD: Tariq, Himel, Aurup, Arif, Jahirul, Sony, Waly, Saikat, Aminur, Mamun, Nasir, Sharif, Zahid Parvez, Zahid Hossain, Maruf, Robin, Ujjal and Emily.