Bhutan will host Palestine in the 2019 Asian Cup qualifier match, which will be held at the Changlimithang next month. The Bhutanese team is hoping to come back and put up a show after a disappointing two – nil loss to the Maldives in June this year.
With the fixture against the team ranked 93rd in the world expected to be tough, the Bhutanese team is leaving no stones unturned during practice sessions.
“Yes, it will become a tough match but we will prepare in the best way to prepare,” said Torsten Frank Spittler, the Head Coach.
“We will try our best in this match. For sure, it will be very difficult but we are not afraid. We knew from the beginning when we qualified for this group stage that the matches will be tough and that’s what we experienced.”
Despite Palestine being on top of the group, the Head Coach hopes that the 14-0 result against Oman will not repeat. “If you put the results together then it looks quite bad for us but I still believe that the match against Oman was a special situation,” he said.
“Palestine won only against the Maldives 3-0 and they scored in the last 20 minutes. The difference between Palestine and us shouldn’t be so big.”
Six new players have made it to the 23 men squad to face the Palestinians with one of them expected to make the starting eleven. The head coach is expecting these new additions will only make the team stronger.
“For sure, these new players have a deficit in knowledge of what we have done and in tactics. But as you said it is also giving some spirit for the guys who have been here for a longer time to fight for their position,” said Head Coach Torsten Frank Spittler.
Bhutan’s chances of making out of this group look grim but the Head Coach said these players will only grow better with experience and chances of success will increase with every tournament appearance.
