Having opened their campaign with a lacklustre show, India will look to make amends against Bangladesh in their second group league match of the Saff football championships in Kathmandu on Tuesday.
Sunday’s result against Pakistan was in India’s favour, but the Sunil Chhetri-led team needed an own goal from the rival skipper to come away unscathed.
Coach Wim Koeverman had said in the post-match conference that he was not happy with the performance of his men.
On Tuesday, India (ranked 145th) will start as favourites in the Group A match against Bangladesh, placed 13 places lower at 158th. In their 22 meetings, India have won 11 times while Bangaldesh have emerge winners thrice and eight games were drawn.
The last time the two sides met was in the 2007 Nehru Cup at the Ambedkar Stadium in New Delhi, when India won 1-0.
A win on Tuesday will virtually put India through to the semi-finals.
For Bangladesh, it’s a do-or-die match as a defeat would put them out of reckoning for a place in the last four, having lost to hosts Nepal 0-2 in their campaign opener.