National team coach Lodewijk de Kruif wants star forward Zahid Hossain to produce something extraordinary in their crucial Group A match against India at the Halchuk Stadium on Tuesday.
Zahid did not play well against Nepal on Saturday during Bangladesh’s 2-0 defeat at the Dasharath Stadium.
The Dutchman was not impressed with the performance of the right winger, who failed to produce any attempts on goal.
Zahid had struggled with a groin injury and skin disease through most of the team’s training camp and did not play in most of their warm-up matches.
However, De Kruif remained confident that Zahid, whom he saw play in the Super Cup for Sheikh Russell KC, would be fit before the tournament.
But Zahid did not show his talent in the Nepal match, leading De Kruif to talk to him personally to motivate him ahead of the India match.
‘The problem with Zahid is that sometimes he is fantastic and other times he is not there. We have to find the key of the door to Zahid to let him perform always as a good player,’ De Kruif said on Sunday.
‘I talked with him individually after the first match and I hope he will perform better in the next match, which will be a life or death match for us at the moment,’ he added.
Zahid disappointed himself with his performance in the first match and saw himself as useless on the field.
‘I did not play well in the first match and I was very disappointed when I failed to create any productive attempts,’ Zahid said angrily.
De Kruif was also unsatisfied with the performances of Jamal Bhuiyan and Atiqur Rahman Meshu in midfield.
‘Jamal and Meshu could not create pressure in midfield, which made it hard for Wali [Faisal] and [Mohammad] Linkon and put pressure on [Nepal]. The two fullbacks and both Jamal and Meshu have to apply more pressure,’ he said.
-With New Age input
